26 REV. ANDREW CRAIG ROBINSON, M.A., ON DARIUS 



It would seem, then, tliat Cyrus spent the months from the 

 beginning of November to the beginning of the following June 

 in putting affairs in order in Babylon ; and some time 

 in the month Tammuz (June- July) he appointed Cambyses 

 " King of Babylon " previous to his setting out to visit his uncle 

 Cyaxares, King of Media ; and his father, Cambyses, King of 

 Persia. 



He returned to Babylon some time about the month Tisri 

 (Sept.-Oct.) and resumed his full title, King of Babylon, 

 King of Countries," which he seems afterwards to have retained 

 to the 8th year of his reign, as there are tablets dated in 

 that year "Cyrus, King of Babylon, King of Countries." For 

 example : 



Sippar 3 Ab. 8th year of Cyrus, King of Babylon, King of 

 Countries. 



Another — 



8th year of Cyrus, King of Babylon, King of Countries. 



Thus in this instance, as in so many others, the narrative 

 of Xenophon in the Cyropaedia receives confirmation from the 

 Inscriptions. 



They would seem to indicate a period of about three months 

 for his absence from Babylon on his visit to Persia. 



Since Xenophon, then, who gives so many particulars about 

 this King of Media, Cyaxares II, is confirmed in so many points 

 regarding the birth, career and character of Cyrus by the 

 Inscriptions, we are entitled to claim that when we identify 

 Darius the Median with this Cyaxares in Xenophon, we are 

 not identifying him with an imaginary person who never 

 existed, but wdth a real historical king ; who is not mentioned 

 by Ctesias or Herodotus, simply because they were in the 

 same ignorance of his existence as they were in regard to the 

 royal birth of Cyrus, and the true course of Medo-Persian 

 history. 



In the Behistun Inscription of Darius Hysdaspes, who reigned 

 about thirty years later than the conquest of Babylon, we have 

 mention of a King Cyaxares. In the period of disorder in the 

 Persian Empire which followed on the death of King Cambyses, 

 son of Cyrus, in Egypt (521 B.C.), a number of impostors, a& 

 recorded in the Inscription, sprung up in different Provinces 

 of the Empire. 



