L'image de la monarchie achéménide dans les Perses
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9358100 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alexandre Tourraix (corresponding author) |
| Year | 1984 |
| Volume | 86 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 123-134 |
| Publication date | 1984-01-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Revue des Études Anciennes (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0035-2004 • E-ISSN: 2540-2544 |
| Publisher | Bordeaux Montaigne University (PUBLISHER • FR) |
| DOI | 10.3406/rea.1984.4175 |
| OpenAlex | W2338313223 |
| Language | FR |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 4 |
The image of the Achaemenid Monarchy in Aeschylus' Persians. — The Persians is an historical tragedy and, as such, conveys an image of the Acheamenid monarchy. This image focuses on royal power, as embodied by the three main characters, the Queen, Darius, and Xerxes. A comparison of the play with historical «reality», as documented in Achaemenid sources and as revealed by Iranologists, leads to the conclusion that Aeschylus was sometimes better informed about the Persian Empire than later Greek authors. The names and titles he gave to his characters oscillate between a complete hellenisation and an effort at iranisation which goes beyond a mere quest for the oriental pittoresque. The poet apparently took his greatest liberties in his elaboration of the political portraits of the three sovereigns, which he established within a system of oppositions based upon their parental relations. Thus, if the tragedy staged in 472 was not always historically exact, it was often true, and kept on being an historical pattern. It clearly succeeded in establishing the model for further Greek interpretations of the Persian Empire, which, in turn, became the model for the notion of Oriental Despotism
Ancient history · Art · Art history · Empire · Greek tragedy · Humanities · Literature · Monarchy · Political science · Politics · Portrait · Power (physics · Tragedy (event · Ancient Near East History · Byzantine Studies and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · History · Law · Philosophy
| Highly cited | No |
|---|