Wikipedia

Onaphernes

Onaphernes[1] (Wanat–hvarnah,[2][3] Wanafarna[4][5][6][7] Holofernes[8]) — leader of the cadusii, ally of Cyrus the Great.

History

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According John Clark Ridpath, at  the  time  of  the  accession  of  Astyages  cadusii were  ruled  by  a king  named  Onaphernes,  who, believing  his  country  to  be  in  danger,  took wisdom  into  his  counsel,  and  opened  negotiations with  the  Median  monarch  relative  to  annexation. This  odd  piece  of  statecraft  was successful;  for  Astyages  was an  easy-going king,  who  preferred  peace  to  war,  and was very  willing  to  make  terms  with  the  cadusian ruler.  So without  bloodshed  the  dominions  of that  barbaric  but  politic prince  were  transferred to  Media,  himself  remaining  as  viceroy.[9] Stephen Dando-Collins say that Astyages sent Cyrus as a royal envoy on a special mission. Astyages had received a message from Onaphernes, ruler of the Cadusii tribe, which inhabited the Elburz Mountains on the southwest coast of the Caspian Sea. The Cadusians had been a troublesome thorn in Media’s side for years, raiding Median territory on foot then melting back into the mountains. Unbeknownst to his people, Onaphernes was proposing either a truce or an alliance with Media, and he had asked Astyages to send a trustworthy emissary for secret discussions. Astyages sent Cyrus, giving him forty days to complete his mission.[10]

Among the Cadusii, enemies of the Medes, there was a man with aspirations to become a king named Onaphernes.[11][12][13] The cadusii were then hostile to him. He was a traitor to his people and betraying his people, he acted in the interests of the king of the Media,[14] who demanded a messenger from Astyages. Cyrus, appointed to carry out this task, remembered the overthrow of Sardanapalus, the last king of the Assyrians, by the Arbaces. On the way to the cadusii, Cyrus met a man beaten with a whip, who was carrying a basket of fertilizers. The man's name was Oibares, “the one who brings good news,” and he interpreted this meeting as a good omen and, in turn, persuaded Cyrus did not to go to the cadusii and instilled in him self-confidence. Since Cyrus was operose and courageous, he decided with the help of God to persuade the persians to fall away and try to remove Astyages from power, believing the Babylonian, who perfectly knows the will of the gods.[15][16]

Hypotheses

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Ferdinand Justi identified Onaphernes with the persian commander Otanes, who was one of the seven conspirators involved in the assassination of Gaumata.[17] According to another version, Onaphernes is the name of the title, and its real name is "Hutana-Otanes".[18][19]

References

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  1. ^ The Journal of Hellenic Studies. Council of the Society. 1988. p. 146.
  2. ^ Archiv für Orientforschung: Beiheft (in German). Ferdinand Berger & Söhne. 1933. p. 47.
  3. ^ König, Friedrich Wilhelm (1972). Die Persika des Ktesias von Knidos (in German). Selbstverl. des Hrsg. (Ernst Weidner). p. 47.
  4. ^ Trierer theologische Studien (in German). Paulinus-Verlag. 1963. p. 18.
  5. ^ Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes (in German). A. Hölder. 1928. pp. 14–25–27.
  6. ^ Kümmel, Werner Georg (1980). Jüdische Schriften aus hellenistisch-römischer Zeit: Historische und legendarische erzählungen; Lfg. 1. Zusätze zu Esther ; Hans Bardtke. Zusätze zu Daniel ; Otto Plöger; Lfg. 2. Fragmente jüdisch-hellenistischer historiker ; Nikolaus Walter; Lfg. 3. 2. Makkaërbuch; Lfg. 4.1. Makkabäerbuch ; Klaus-Dietrich Schunck; Lfg. 5. 3. Esra-Buch ; Karl-Friedrich Pohlmann; Lfg. 6. Das Buch Judit ; Erich Zenger; Lfg. 7. Vitae prophetarum ; Anna Maria Schwemer; Lfg. 8. Paralipomena Jeremiou ; Berndt Schaller (in German). G. Mohn. p. 458. ISBN 978-3-579-03915-2.
  7. ^ Der Alte Orient (in German). J.C. Hinrichs. 1932. p. 31.
  8. ^ Werner Georg Kümmel (1980), Jüdische Schriften aus hellenistisch-römischer Zeit: Historische und legendarische erzählungen; Lfg. 1. Zusätze zu Esther ; Hans Bardtke. Zusätze zu Daniel ; Otto Plöger; Lfg. 2. Fragmente jüdisch-hellenistischer historiker ; Nikolaus Walter; Lfg. 3. 2. Makkaërbuch; Lfg. 4.1. Makkabäerbuch ; Klaus-Dietrich Schunck; Lfg. 5. 3. Esra-Buch ; Karl-Friedrich Pohlmann; Lfg. 6. Das Buch Judit ; Erich Zenger; Lfg. 7. Vitae prophetarum ; Anna Maria Schwemer; Lfg. 8. Paralipomena Jeremiou ; Berndt Schaller (in German), G. Mohn, p. 458, ISBN 978-3-579-03915-2
  9. ^ Ridpath, John Clark (1885). Cyclopædia of Universal History: The ancient world. Jones Brothers Publishing Company. p. 228.
  10. ^ Stephen, Dando-Collins (2020). Cyrus the Great: Conqueror, Liberator, Anointed One. Nashville: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 9781684424399.
  11. ^ jhuyt311.
  12. ^ Shahbāzī, ʻA Shāpūr (1970). كورش بزرگ: زندگى و جهاندارى بنيادگزار شاهنشاهى ايران (in Persian). دانشگاه پهلوى،. pp. 75–76.
  13. ^ "Книги I - VI | Симпосий Συμπόσιον". simposium.ru. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  14. ^ Vestnik drevneĭ istorii (in Russian). Наука. 1971.
  15. ^ Vestnik drevneĭ istorii (in Russian). Наука. 1960. p. 270.
  16. ^ "Глава 2. Кир Великий". simposium.ru. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  17. ^ Justi, Ferdinand (1895). Iranisches namenbuch (in German). N. G. Elwert. p. 15.
  18. ^ Badiʻ, Amir Mehdi (1984). Les Grecs et les Barbares: l'autre face de l'histoire. la Paix du roi. V (in French). Payot. p. 407. ISBN 978-2-601-09821-1.
  19. ^ Badiʻ, Amir Mehdi (1984). La paix du roi. Internet Archive. Lausanne : Payot. p. 407. ISBN 978-2-601-09820-4.
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