UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations

325 Pages·2017·1.37 MB·English

UCLA
UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Title
The Use of Treaties in the Achaemenid Empire
Permalink
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0bh180f4
Author
Beckman, Daniel
Publication Date
2017

Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation
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University of California
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles
The Use of Treaties in the Achaemenid Empire
A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the
requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy
in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
by
Daniel Beckman
2017
© Copyright by
Daniel Beckman
2017
ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
The Use of Treaties in the Achaemenid Empire
by
Daniel Beckman
Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
University of California, Los Angeles, 2017
Professor M. Rahim Shayegan, Chair
Starting in the mid-fifth century BCE, the Achaemenid Persian empire entered into a
series of treaties with various Greek city-states. While treaties had often been used across the
Ancient Near East prior to the Persian conquests, they did not play a role in the Achaemenids'
imperial strategy; indeed, the Achaemenids did not sign any treaties with any non-Greek state.
By examining Greco-Persian treaties, that is, by investigating what the Persians of old might
have hoped to gain from treaties with Athens, Sparta, or any other Greek state, the present
dissertation seeks to gain unique insight into the Achaemenid imperial strategy.
I demonstrate that the Achaemenid conception of imperial rule may have been partially
inherited from their Elamite and Neo-Assyrian forebears. I establish the continuities between
Achaemenid rule and that of their Near Eastern predecessors, as well as what constitutes
uniquely Achaemenid innovations. I give special attention to the Achaemenid endeavor to exert
control over various subjects in their empire by dialoguing with, and even reproducing,
ii
indigenous manifestations of law and governance. However, scholarly models describing the use
of local practices by the Achaemenids have been hitherto restricted to regions under direct
Achaemenid rule. I argue, however, that the Greco-Persian treaties were most likely resulting
from the Achaemenid desire to extend a proven strategy of governance, which aimed at engaging
local traditions and practices, beyond their imperial borders. The exploitation of traditional
Greek treaty customs allowed the Achaemenids to achieve the stability necessary for the
achievement of imperial goals in the region, and befitted their overall political strategy.
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The dissertation of Daniel Beckman is approved.
Sarah Morris
David Phillips
William Schniedewind
M. Rahim Shayegan, Committee Chair
University of California, Los Angeles
2017
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................................vi
Abbreviations.................................................................................................................................vii
1. Introduction, History of the Scholarship, and Methodology.......................................................1
2. Primary Sources...........................................................................................................................9
3. Near Eastern Binding Agreements.............................................................................................11
3a. The Neo-Assyrian Evidence................................................................................................11
3b. Religion and Assyrian Kingship.........................................................................................29
3c. The Neo-Babylonian Evidence...........................................................................................38
4. From Assyria and Babylonia to Persia.......................................................................................40
4a.The Medes............................................................................................................................40
4b. The Elamites........................................................................................................................58
5. Greek Binding Agreements........................................................................................................64
5a. Terminology........................................................................................................................64
5b. Sources................................................................................................................................67
5c. Near Eastern Influence on Greek Treaty Traditions...........................................................68
5d. Greek Treaties in the Archaic and Classical Periods........................................................100
6. Peace Treaties and Achaemenid Imperial Strategy.................................................................133
6a. Achaemenid Royal Ideology and Imperial Administration..............................................134
6b. Regional Examples............................................................................................................136
Persis...................................................................................................................................140
Western Asia Minor...........................................................................................................155
Babylon...............................................................................................................................183
Judah...................................................................................................................................193
Egypt...................................................................................................................................204
6c. Greco-Persian Diplomacy.................................................................................................219
7. Conclusions..............................................................................................................................273
8. Select Bibliography..................................................................................................................276
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Acknowledgements
I would like to sincerely thank the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, who awarded me the
Roshan Fellowship in 2015-16. This grant allowed me to focus on completing this dissertation.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the members of my committee for working
with me over the past few years, both on this dissertation and in the classroom. Their advice on
this work has made it immeasurably better, and the defects that remain are my own.
Finally, I thank my parents and sister for their constant support and love. To my wife, I owe a
lifetime of gratitude for everything that she has given me, not least her tolerance. To all my
friends, you have my thanks for your unfailing encouragement.
vi
Abbreviations
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