The fresh new Greek historians Herodotus and Ctesias reference Xerxes’ spouse because Amestris. While some moderate linguistic partnership involving the identity Amestris as well as the name Vashti (Persian “sht” in order to Greek “st”) looks you can, a healthier connection can be found between the Greek Amestris and the Hebrew Esther:
- This new “is” towards the bottom is merely an effective Greek suffix set in turn the fresh new international name to the proper Greek grammatical means (just as “es” is actually added at the conclusion of “Xerxes”).
- The name Amestris is based around the consonants Meters, S, T, and Roentgen, additionally the term given that filed in the Megillah would depend around the fresh consonants S, T, and you can R.
Most likely, this is simply not coincidence; perhaps their particular Persian identity is consisting of the fresh consonants Yards, S, T, and you will Roentgen, as well as the M was not managed about Hebrew.
Amestris: Spouse of Xerxes – Herodotus
- Within his outlined account out of Xerxes’ intrusion force up against Greece, the new Persian contingent of your own military is asked by Otanes, who was simply the father of Xerxes’ spouse Amestris (VII:61).
- Immediately following discussing one to Xerxes’ intrusion push inserted an urban area titled Nine Means, he writes:
Truth be told there, training you to definitely 9 Ways try title of the put, they [=this new Persians] buried alive you to definitely number of boys and you can maidens, youngsters of those of the nation. So you’re able to bury real time try a Persian individualized; You will find read that if Xerxes’ wife Amestris attained so you’re able to dated age she buried fourteen sons out of distinguished Persians, given that a thank you so much-offering on her own behalf into fabled god of nether globe (VII:114).
- He tells a story portraying the brand new cruelty out-of Amestris. We have found a brief information of your story:
(Sardis is where Xerxes lived temporarily after the guy first started his retreat out of their invasion from Greece before he gone back to Susa.) The fresh partner regarding Masistes denies his enhances. Xerxes then arranges a wedding ranging from his child Darius plus the daughter out of Masistes, thinking that this would sooner or later let him entice the caretaker. The story continues from the Susa, toward direct sexiga Nya Zeeland kvinnor time of the continuation unspecified. About extension, Amestris gives Xerxes a lovely robe you to wove together with her individual hands. Through this time, Xerxes had moved their affections to your daughter, today married to help you his child Darius, and you will Xerxes got an event along with her. Xerxes looks like supplying the daughter the fresh gown.
Whenever Amestris learns, she takes payback on mommy. She sends on soldiers of one’s royal bodyguard and contains mom mutilated. Several of their body parts are ordered stop and generally are tossed into animals. Whenever Masistes observes that which was completed to their partner, he decides to stir-up an excellent revolt facing Xerxes. Fundamentally, Xerxes’ pushes destroy Masistes, their sons, and all of new men less than their order (IX:108-113).
Amestris: Spouse of Xerxes – Ctesias
A later on Greek historian, Ctesias (creating just after 400 B.C.Elizabeth.) who served while the a doctor in order to Artaxerxes II and additionally writes throughout the Amestris. From him, i find out the pursuing the.
- Amestris outlives Xerxes and you may dies after she has “grown up very old.”
- Once many years of bombarding, Amestris try in the end able to encourage her son Artaxerxes to allow their avenge the death of a separate son Achaemenides. She actually is able to provides fifty Greeks decapitated and their chief Inarus impaled, in the revenge to possess Inarus with his guys which have killed Achaemenides five decades earlier, when Inarus had contributed a good revolt.
- She’s given the power from the Artaxerxes so you can discipline a doctor exactly who ytis for the that have sexual relations with your; she orders him stored in organizations and punished for 2 months, and finally hidden real time.