Teïspes (fromGreekΤεΐσπης,Teispēs; inOld Persian:𐎨𐎡𐏁𐎱𐎡𐏁[2]Čišpiš;Akkadian: 𒅆𒅖𒉿𒅖Šîšpîš,[3]Elamite: Zi-iš-pi-iš)[4] ruledAnshan in 675–640 BC. He was the son ofAchaemenes ofPersis and an ancestor ofCyrus the Great.[4] There is evidence thatCyrus I andAriaramnes were both his sons.[4] Cyrus I is the grandfather of Cyrus the Great, whereas Ariaramnes is the great-grandfather ofDarius the Great.
| Teispes | |
|---|---|
| Great King King of Anshan[1] | |
 Position of Teispes in the Achaemenid lineage according toDarius the Great in theBehistun inscription. | |
| King of Persia | |
| Reign | 675–640 BC |
| Predecessor | Achaemenes |
| Successor | Cyrus I |
| Died | 640 BC |
| Issue | |
| House | Achaemenid |
| Father | Achaemenes |
According to 7th-century BC documents, Teispes captured theElamite city of Anshan, speculated to have occurred after the Persians were freed fromMedian supremacy, and expanded his small kingdom. His kingdom was, however, a vassal state of theNeo-Assyrian Empire (911–605 BC). He was succeeded by his second son, Cyrus I.[4]
Name
editTheOld Persian version of the name isČišpiš; Walther Hinz and Heidemarie Koch interpret it as*Čaišpiš, but this appears to be incorrect.[4][5]Rüdiger Schmitt considers the name "probably Iranian",[4] whereas Jan Tavernier says it could also be Elamite.[5] In either case, the etymology is unknown.[4][5] It is probably not related to either the name of theHurrian storm godTešup or to the name of theCimmerian kingTeušpa.[4] Its connection with the (Elamite) byname 𒍝𒆜𒉿𒆜𒅆𒅀Zaišpîšiya is unclear — Hinz believes it represents an adjectival form of the name,*Čaišpišya, but Schmitt prefers the reading*Čašpišya instead[5] and says the two names are unrelated.[4]
Vasily Abayev proposed thatČišpiš represents an Iranian form of theOld Indiansú-śiśvi, meaning "growing well".[5]János Harmatta suggested a possible relation to theSogdiančp'yš, meaning "leader".[5] Tavernier, however, does not think either proposal is convincing.[5] Another Iranian derivation proposed byWojciech Skalmowski is that the name is a compound related to Old Indiancit-, "thought, intelligence", andpi-, "to swell, overflow".[5]
As for Elamite derivations, Tavernier says that no good one has been found.[5] The verb stempiš-, meaning "to renew, restore", is indeed found in some Elamite names, but the first part is hard to explain.[5] Tavernier suggests a possible connection withšišnali, "beautiful", which occurs asšiš in some compounds; an Elamite name*Šišpiš could then mean "renewing the beautiful".[5] However, this would not explain why the name is spelledZišpiš in Elamite, sincešišnali is only ever spelled with aš.[5]
Another person namedČišpiš is also attested in thePersepolis tablets.[4] This person is mentioned in tablets from 503 and 502 BCE as the recipient of various amounts of grain, and is associated with a place in Elam called Zila-Umpan.[4]
See also
editReferences
editBibliography
edit- Akbarzadeh, D.; Yahyanezhad, A. (2006).The Behistun Inscriptions (Old Persian Texts) (in Persian). Khaneye-Farhikhtagan-e Honarhaye Sonati.ISBN 964-8499-05-5.
- Kent, Ronald Grubb (2005).Old Persian: Grammar, Text, Glossary (in Persian). translated into Persian by S. Oryan. Pizhūhishkadah-i Zabān va Gūyish bā hamkārī-i Idārah-i Kull-i Umūr-i Farhangī.ISBN 964-421-045-X.
- Schmitt, Rüdiger (1992)."ČIŠPIŠ".Encyclopaedia Iranica. Vol. 5.
Teispes Born: Unknown Died: 640 BC | ||
| Preceded by | King of Anshan 675–640 BC | Succeeded by |
