Intaphrenes ( peo, 𐎻𐎡𐎭𐎳𐎼𐎴𐎠, translit=Viⁿdafarnâ, grc, Ἰνταφρένης, Ἰνταφέρνης, translit=Intaphrénēs, Intaphérnēs) (died c.520BCE) was one of the seven who in September 522 BCE helped Darius I usurp the throne from

Bardiya Bardiya or Smerdis ( peo, 𐎲𐎼𐎮𐎡𐎹 ; grc, Σμέρδις ; possibly died 522 BC), also named as Tanyoxarces ( grc, Τανυοξάρκης ) by Ctesias, was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both ...

, following Bardiya’s alleged usurping of the throne of the

Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, wikt:𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎶, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an History of Iran#Classical antiquity, ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Bas ...

from Cambyses II.Herodotus III, 70 Intaphrenes then became Darius's bow carrier, a high position in which he is depicted in the Behistun Inscription.

Subjugation of Babylon

In 521 BCE, Intaphrenes was sent as general at the head of an army by Darius I to eliminate Arakha, who allegedly had usurped the throne of Babylon as

Nebuchadnezzar IV Nebuchadnezzar IV (Babylonian cuneiform: ''Nabû-kudurri-uṣur'', meaning "Nabu, watch over my heir"; peo, 𐎴𐎲𐎢𐎤𐎢𐎭𐎼𐎨𐎼 ), alternatively spelled Nebuchadrezzar IV and also known by his original name Arakha ( peo, 𐎠� ...

in 522 BCE. Babylon was taken without much fighting on 27 November 521 BCE, and as was customary in such cases, Arakha was mutilated and impaled with his followers.

Death

Intaphrenes was put to death after the insurrection for trying to enter the King's palace while he was lying with his wife.Herodotus III, 118 The seven noblemen who had toppled Bardiya had made an agreement that they could all visit the new king whenever they pleased, except when he was with his wife. One evening, Intaphrenes went to the palace to meet Darius, but was stopped by two officers who stated that Darius had retired for the night. Becoming enraged and insulted, Intaphrenes drew his sword and cut off the ears and noses of the two officers. While leaving the palace, he took the

bridle A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the '' Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit. Headgea ...

from his horse, and tied the two officers together. The officers went to the king and showed him what Intaphrenes had done to them. Darius began to fear for his own safety; he thought that all seven noblemen had banded together to rebel against him and that the attack against his officers was the first sign of revolt. He sent a messenger to each of the noblemen, asking them if they approved of Intaphrenes's actions. They denied and disavowed any connection with Intaphrenes's actions, stating that they stood by their decision to appoint Darius as King of Kings. Taking precautions against further resistance, Darius sent soldiers to seize Intaphrenes, along with his son, family members, relatives and any friends who were capable of arming themselves. Darius believed that Intaphrenes was planning a rebellion, but when he was brought to the court, there was no proof of any such plan. Nonetheless, Darius killed Intaphrenes's entire family, excluding his wife's brother and son. She was asked to choose between her brother and son. She chose her brother to live. Her reasoning for doing so was that she could have another husband and another son, but she would always have but one brother. Darius was impressed by her response and spared both her brother's and her son's life. The name Intaphrenes was never mentioned again by Herodotus after Intaphrenes's death.

References

Bibliography

* {{refend 6th-century BC Iranian people Officials of Darius the Great 520s BC deaths