The Achaemenid King and his Governors: Identity – Imitation – Identification

Maria Brosius (University of Toronto)

While we may have a rather clear idea about the relationship between the Achaemenid king and his satraps, the relationship between the king and local governors and city-rulers has received less scholarly attention. An exception to this omission is Mausolus of Caria who seems to stand out because Greek sources refer to him both as a king and a satrap. Is his position within the Persian governmental structure indeed exceptional, and perhaps a sign of the increasing autonomy of local rulers of the fourth century BCE, as has been suggested, or is he a typical representative for the local dynasts of the Persian empire? This lecture aims to investigate the relationship between the Achaemenid king and local rulers, and considers images of royalty and imperial power, as well as recent archaeological finds to inquire to what extent these rulers identified themselves with the Persian court or saw themselves as (semi-) independent political leaders.

About the Speaker

Brosius’s research focuses on political and cultural links between the classical and Near Eastern worlds, with special emphasis on how documents are constructed to facilitate the transmission and exchange of information and knowledge. Over the past ten years she concentrated her research on ancient archives, resulting in the publication in 2003 of “Archives and Archival Traditions. Concepts of Record-keeping in the Ancient World” (Oxford OUP).

Between 2005 and 2007 she held a prestigious Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship to investigate the development of archival practices and the transmission of knowledge through a professional scribal class.

Please note that this event will now be held in 306 Royce Hall.
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