07-18-2012, 11:17 PM
Scipio our lists are markedly cognate it would seem. 
I would say though, to both you and Vindex, that (in line with current scholarship and the fantastic seminars recently here at Ox) it might be best not to stress the "Persianess" of the later dynasties too much. I mean....sure they were Iranian...but they weren't necessarily Persian in our sense and though previous scholarship has stressed their link with Cyrus etc I think its better to view them linked with the generic N/M East.
Essentially their national mythoi seemed to be along the lines of "we're antique and awesome too, but were suppressed under previous regimes" rather than "bow before me, Cyrus revisited".
I would say though, to both you and Vindex, that (in line with current scholarship and the fantastic seminars recently here at Ox) it might be best not to stress the "Persianess" of the later dynasties too much. I mean....sure they were Iranian...but they weren't necessarily Persian in our sense and though previous scholarship has stressed their link with Cyrus etc I think its better to view them linked with the generic N/M East.
Essentially their national mythoi seemed to be along the lines of "we're antique and awesome too, but were suppressed under previous regimes" rather than "bow before me, Cyrus revisited".
Jass
