Talk:Astyages
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The accuracy of this article is virtually hopeless, filled with myth, and historical inaccuracy. I do not even know where to start with corrections, so I won't. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Malone (talk • contribs) 16:21, 3 October 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Azhi Dahâk
The linguistic link between the name of Astyages and Azhi Dahâk mentioned at the head of the article are not proven. The former is the (helenized) name of a historical king, while the latter is the name of mythical demon of considerably older tradition. The connection between the two names was assumed because the helenized word sounded like the name of the mentioned demon. Babylonian documents have since showed us the real pronouciation of the name of the king (Ishtu vighu), which has no connection with Azhi Dahâk. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Mirfakhr (talk • contribs) 22:31, 18 January 2007 (UTC).
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- According to M.R. Izady the name is Rshti-vega Azhi Dahak, Azhi Dahak being an honorific royal title. If the documents you mention above are mentioning "Ishtu vighu" it should be remembered that theese documents are in probably pronounced as the babylonians would pronounce it, however it does not prove that this is the actual pronounciation used by the Medes themselves, it's the same case as with Herodotos greek pronounciation.
- In the case of the difference between the historical king and the demon one should remember that Azhi Dahak is the dragon(demon) king according to Zoroastrian mythology. This is explained by Izady as: "There is now compelling evidence that the slaying of Zoroaster himself and the overthrowing of is patron king Vishaspa were at the hands of the troops of King Rishti-vega Azhi Dahak, as he advanced eastward into Harirud-Murghab river basins in northwest Afghanistan in 522 BC. This did not help Azhi Dahak's reputation among the early Zoroastrians. The Median king Azhi Dahak has since been assigned a demonic character and is seen as the arch villain in both Zoroastrianism and the Iranian national mythology and epic literature, like the Shahnama.[...] The controversial title Azhi Dahak for the last median king was already known to Herodotus, albeit in a corrupted form, as Astyages."
- Thus the historical king and the demon king are the same person (the demon king being based on the historical one), the latter however being a Zoroastrian demonisation of the historical king.
[edit] Cambyses II
"...returning him to Cambyses II and Mandane in Anshan." It should be Cambyses I?Vints 11:27, 24 January 2007 (UTC)
