Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal
Judges in Herodotus’ Histories

k 2025

Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories

HABAJ, Michal

Základní údaje

Originální název

Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories

Autoři

HABAJ, Michal

Vydání

Romance on the Nile. The Ancient Novel in Egypt – Egypt in the Ancient Novel, Berlin, Německo, 10-12 September 2025, 2025

Další údaje

Jazyk

angličtina

Typ výsledku

Prezentace na konferencích

Obor

60101 History

Utajení

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Odkazy

URL

Označené pro přenos do RIV

Organizační jednotka

Filozofická fakulta

Klíčová slova anglicky

Herodotus; Cambyses; ancient Egypt

Příznaky

Mezinárodní význam

Změněno: 8. 1. 2026 13:35, doc. Mgr. Michal Habaj, PhD.

Anotace

V originále

This article revisits the origins of Cambyses’ controversial reputation and builds on the argument that this reputation was shaped, at least in part, by Darius’ account of Cambyses’ reign. It focuses on two parallel episodes in Herodotus’ Histories, in which Cambyses and Darius are placed in comparable situations involving the punishment of royal judges. Despite the initial similarity, the stories diverge significantly: while Cambyses orders the brutal execution of a judge, Darius ultimately refrains from carrying out a similar sentence. Through a comparison with the royal ideology articulated in Darius’ inscriptions, the study argues that Herodotus’ narratives reflect Darius’ self-presentation as a just ruler, with Cambyses’ portrayal serving as a deliberate foil designed to enhance Darius’ image. The analysis further demonstrates that, although Herodotus preserved essential elements of the original narratives, he reframed their core message—the concept of royal justice as the guarantor of order—in line with his own understanding of autocracy.

Návaznosti

MUNI/A/1696/2024, interní kód MU

Název: Antické civilizace a jejich jazyky v dalším evropském vývoji: proměny a konstanty potřetí

Investor: Masarykova univerzita, Antické civilizace a jejich jazyky v dalším evropském vývoji: proměny a konstanty potřetí

Citovat

HABAJ, Michal. Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories. In Romance on the Nile. The Ancient Novel in Egypt – Egypt in the Ancient Novel, Berlin, Německo, 10-12 September 2025. 2025.

@proceedings{2541300,
   author = {Habaj, Michal},
   booktitle = {Romance on the Nile. The Ancient Novel in Egypt – Egypt in the Ancient Novel, Berlin, Německo, 10-12 September 2025},
   keywords = {Herodotus; Cambyses; ancient Egypt},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories},
   url = {https://www.berliner-antike-kolleg.org/transfer/termine/_pdfs/2025_09_10_romance-on-the-nile.pdf},
   year = {2025}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 2541300
AU  - Habaj, Michal
PY  - 2025
TI  - Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories
KW  - Herodotus
KW  - Cambyses
KW  - ancient Egypt
UR  - https://www.berliner-antike-kolleg.org/transfer/termine/_pdfs/2025_09_10_romance-on-the-nile.pdf
N2  - This article revisits the origins of Cambyses’ controversial reputation and builds on the argument that this reputation was shaped, at least in part, by Darius’ account of Cambyses’ reign. It focuses on two parallel episodes in Herodotus’ Histories, in which Cambyses and Darius are placed in comparable situations involving the punishment of royal judges. Despite the initial similarity, the stories diverge significantly: while Cambyses orders the brutal execution of a judge, Darius ultimately refrains from carrying out a similar sentence. Through a comparison with the royal ideology articulated in Darius’ inscriptions, the study argues that Herodotus’ narratives reflect Darius’ self-presentation as a just ruler, with Cambyses’ portrayal serving as a deliberate foil designed to enhance Darius’ image. The analysis further demonstrates that, although Herodotus preserved essential elements of the original narratives, he reframed their core message—the concept of royal justice as the guarantor of order—in line with his own understanding of autocracy.
ER  -

HABAJ, Michal. Cambyses’ Negative Reputation and Darius : An Example of Royal Judges in Herodotus’ Histories. In \textit{Romance on the Nile. The Ancient Novel in Egypt – Egypt in the Ancient Novel, Berlin, Německo, 10-12 September 2025}. 2025.

Přehled o publikaci