| Achaemenes | |
|---|---|
| Progenitor of theAchaemenid dynasty | |
 Position of Achaemenes in the Achaemenid lineage. | |
| Reign | 688–675 BC |
| Predecessor | none |
| Successor | Teispes |
| Born | c. 8th century BC Elam |
| Died | c. 675 BC Elam |
| Issue | Teispes |
| Old Persian | Hakhāmaniš |
| House | Achaemenid |
Achaemenes (Old Persian:𐏃𐎧𐎠𐎶𐎴𐎡𐏁Haxāmaniš;Ancient Greek:ἈχαιμένηςAkhaiménēs;Latin:Achaemenēs) was theprogenitor (apical ancestor) and eponymous founder of theAchaemenid dynasty ofPersia.[1]
Other than his role as an apical ancestor, nothing is known of his life or actions. It is quite possible that Achaemenes was only the mythical ancestor of thePersian royal house, but if Achaemenes was a historical person, he would have lived around 700 BC.[2]
The name used in European languages (Ancient Greek:Ἀχαιμένης (Achaiménēs),Latin:Achaemenes) ultimately derives fromOld PersianHaxāmaniš (𐏃𐎧𐎠𐎶𐎴𐎡𐏁), as found together withElamite𒄩𒀝𒋡𒉽𒉡𒆜 (Ha-ak-ka-man-nu-iš orHâkamannuiš) andAkkadian𒀀𒄩𒈠𒉌𒅖𒀪 (A-ḫa-ma-ni-iš-ʾ) in the non-contemporaneous trilingualBehistun Inscription ofDarius I. The Old Persian proper name is traditionally derived fromhaxā- "friend" andmanah "thinking power", yielding "having a friend's mind."[3] A more recent interpretation readshaxā- as "follower", giving "characterized by a follower's spirit."[3] The name is spelledهخامنش (Haxâmaneš) inModern Persian.
In theBehistun inscription (c. 520 BC),Darius I portrays Achaemenes as the father ofTeispes, ancestor ofCyrus II (Cyrus the Great) andDarius I.[2] The mid-5th century BCHistories (7.11) of Herodotus has essentially the same story, but fuses two parallel lines of descent from "Teispes son of Achaemenes". Beyond such brief mentions of the name, nothing is known of the figure behind it, neither from indigenous sources nor from historiographic ones. It may be that Achaemenes was just a mythical ancestor, not a historical one.[2][4] Many scholars believe he was a ruler ofParsumash, a vassal state of theMedian Empire, and that from there he led armies against theAssyrian kingSennacherib at theBattle of Halule in 681 BC.[5]
It may be that theBehistun inscription's claim of descent from Achaemenes was an invention of Darius I, in order to justify the latter's seizure of the throne. Cyrus II does not mention Achaemenes at all in the detailed genealogy given in theCyrus cylinder.[2] While the patronymhaxāmanišiya—"of [the clan of] Achaemenes"—does appear in an inscription atPasargadae attributed to Cyrus II, this inscription may have been written on the order of Darius I after Cyrus' death.[2][6] As such, Achaemenes could be a retrograde creation of Darius the Great,[7] made in order to legitimize a dynastic relationship to Cyrus the Great. Darius certainly had much to gain in having an ancestor shared by Cyrus and himself, and may have felt the need for a stronger connection than that provided by his subsequent marriage to Cyrus' daughterAtossa.
The Greek writers of antiquity preserve several legends surrounding the figure:[8] The Pseudo-Platonic dialogueFirst Alcibiades (120e), written in the late 4th-century BC, portrays Achaemenes as the hero-founder of the Persái in the same way that the Greeks are descended fromHeracles, and that both Achaemenes and Hercules were descendants ofPerseus, son ofZeus. Another version of the tale makes Achaemenes the son ofAegeus, yet another founder-hero of legend. The 3rd-centuryAelianus (De nat. anim. 12.21) says Achaemenes was bred by an eagle.[9]
Achaemenes Born: 8th century BC Died: 7th century BC | ||
| Preceded by none | King of Anshan | Succeeded by |
Rulers in theAchaemenid Empire | ||
|---|---|---|
Family tree - Achaemenid Kingdom | ||
| Kings of Kings of theAchaemenid Empire |  | |
| Satraps ofLydia | ||
| Satraps ofHellespontine Phrygia | ||
| Satraps ofCappadocia | ||
| Greek Governors ofAsia Minor cities | ||
| Dynasts ofLycia | ||
| Dynasts ofCaria | ||
| Kings ofMacedonia | ||
| Kings of Tyre | ||
| Kings of Sidon |
| |
| Satraps ofArmenia | ||
| Satraps ofEgypt | ||
| Satraps ofBactria | ||
| Satraps ofMedia | ||
| Satraps ofCilicia | ||
| Other known satraps | ||
In most territories, Achaemenid rulers were succeeded byHellenistic satraps andHellenistic rulers from around 330 BC | ||
