Provincial Life Under Artaxerxes & Alexander the Great
Unparalleled Insights from the Aramaic documents of Ancient Bactria (353-324 BC)
From Cyrus to Alexander
The Achaemenid empire was a powerful and vast dominion established by Cyrus the Great in 559 BCE and was known for its many innovations ranging from a highly efficient postal system to the Cyrus Cylinder, commonly referred to as the first Human Rights declaration. It was finally conquered by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE.
Ancient Bactria
With the vast empire stretching from Europe in the West to India in the East, it had many provinces, governed by satraps (governors). Ancient Bactria was a region or satrapi located in what is now modern-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
A momentous point in Ancient History
This exhibit explores a unique collection of documents written in or near Balkh, the capital city of Bactria, and span a period of less than thirty years, from 353 to 324 BC. It was a period of great turmoil with far reaching consequences for the history of the East, particularly of Central Asia. During this period, which begins with the reign of Artaxerxes III, the Achaemenian Empire saw its demise when it was conquered by Alexander the Great.
Aramaic - language of civilisations
These documents, found by a farmer in 1960s Afghanistan, were written on leather in Official Aramaic, the language and script that had been used throughout the Persian empire. It was also the language of the Talmud and the Zohar, the Greeks and the Romans, and Jesus. In addition to their valuable historical contents, the documents enrich our knowledge of Aramaic and its lexicon.
The small elongated strip contains two lines from what may have been a legal document or a letter. The script is of an earlier period than the rest of the Aramaic writings in the exhibit.
National Treasures – The Art Of Collecting - Professor Nasser David KhaliliThe Khalili Collections
An introduction to the Aramaic Documents held by the Khalili Collections, as shown on Sky Arts.
Official Correspondence during the reign of Artaxerxes
Most of the documents in this exhibit contain letters and accounts connected with the court of the satrap of Bactria, Akhvamazda, and with his subordinate the governor of Khulmi, Bagavant. Being the first known internal correspondences of the administration of Bactria and Sogdiana, they serve as a rich source of information on this enigmatic period of ancient history which culminates in the fall of the Achaemenid Empire. They reveal the power dynamics between officials of the empire, as well as what 'government business' consisted of.
Akhvamazda reproaches Bagavant who – against the decree of his master – had extracted taxes from some camel keepers and detained them. He informs Bagavant that he will interrogate him about this matter, and orders him to release the camel keepers and pay them back what he had taken from them.
When Bagavant returned to Khulmi following a visit to his master Akhvamazda, he received a command to clear sand from the house of Akhvamazda. This is apparently a caravanserai, probably a station on the road in the Persian postal system, in a sandy desert which is susceptible to frequent sand storms. The fragmentary nature of the letter does not allow a full interpretation of its content. This is compounded by the fact hat the crucial word can mean 'sand' as well as 'vinegar' – a term that refers to wine that is not fully fermented. This was given to soldiers or workers to be used as a low-grade wine or as seasoning.
A letter from Akhvamazda to Bagavant confirming that the wall that he had commanded to be built and made, should be built and made. His instructions were to be carried out strictly so that the wall is built in a most desirable manner. He warns Bagavant not to act in a contrary manner.
The letter opens with an account of previous correspondence in which Akhvamazda instructed Bagavant to build a wall and ditch around the town of Nikhshapaya. Bagavant, having arranged for the troops to do the work, reports back saying that the town was blighted by locusts and the locals were worried that the wall will cause the locusts to increase and ruin the crop which was ripe for reaping. Following this, Akhvamazda issues new instructions for the troops to smash (?) the locusts, reap the crop and, when the times comes, build the wall and ditch.
Akhvamazda reprimands Bagavant for having disobeyed his instructions to roof two of the satrap's houses and to bring the corn and sesame to his granary for sowing as seed. He commands him to roof the two houses in the most desirable and best manner, as was previously ordered, and warns him that – if does not deliver in full the corn and the sesame for sowing as seed – he will be made to pay the full amount from his own house.
This document concerns Bagavant and his wife. It is perhaps a label originally attached to a container. A hole on one side may have served to attach the document by means of a narrow strip to the container.
Alexander the Great
Alexander spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa, and by the age of thirty he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered one of history's most successful military commanders. He conquered Persia in 331 AD.
National Treasures – The Art Of Collecting - Professor Nasser David KhaliliThe Khalili Collections
Professor Nasser D Khalili, founder of the Khalili Collections, explains the significance of a document that mentions the name of Alexander the Great, during his reign.
Alexander and Bactria
Alexander the Great had a strong connection with Bactria. After capturing Bessus, satrap of Bactria and Sogdia, Alexander fell in love with Roxana the daughter of a Bactrian nobleman, and married her in 327 BC despite strong opposition from his companions and generals. This painting by Reubens captures the coronation of Roxana by Alexander in Bactria.
A Long List of Supplies Disbursed (starts on 15 Sivan, year 7 of Alexander, corresponding to 8 June 324, and continues over three months)The Khalili Collections
Alexandros
This document bears what is thought to be the first possible record of Alexander being referred to as ‘Alexandros’, the name for which he became known throughout the world. In this document, which dates from the 7th year of his reign, corresponding to 8th of June 324 BCE, his name appears clearly as ‘Iksndrs’ on the top right. All known documents previously had always referred to him as ‘Iksndr’, which makes this document an object of extreme significance. It helps better build the myth-making of Alexander, a small yet significant piece in the puzzle.
Alexander's name appears clearly as ‘Iksndrs’
Sealed Document Announcing the Dispatch of SheepThe Khalili Collections
The Sealed Missive
This missive, rather extraordinarily, has survived in its sealed form and is still bound with the original seal impression. It bears the seal impression of Alexander and dates from ‘year 1’ of an unspecified reign. Assuming that this is a date according to the regnal year of Alexander the Great by the Babylonian reckoning, it would correspond to 330/329 BCE, dating precisely from the turning point of the great empire.
The seal impression of Alexander the Great
Addressed to a superior officer, this sealed document announces the dispatch of 40 sheep.
List of Supplies for Bayasa (Bessus) (Kislev, year 1 of Artaxerxes V, corresponding to November-December 330 BC)The Khalili Collections
The document lists provisions for Bessus, a prominent Persian Satrap of Bactria in Persia, and later self-proclaimed King of Kings of Persia. According to classical sources, he killed his predecessor and relative Darius III after the Persian army had been defeated by Alexander the Great, and fled to Sogdiana.
The document lists provisions for him in Maithanaka, when he passed from Bactra (modern Balkh) to Varnu. These include 1 horse; 1 sheltered bovine; 1 calf; 2 grazing bovines; 1 donkey; 33 sheltered sheep; 33 lambs; 100 grazing sheep; 5 geese; 30 chickens; and specified quantities of fine flour; white flour; plain flour; lapis-lazuli-coloured (?); barley meal; spices; cheese (pieces); white oil; oil for fire; vinegar; sour milk; wine of Chistakana (?); [wine of[ Arachosia; and fodder.
The recto lists quantities of plain flour for the servants and the camel-drivers. The list on the verso includes wine for the superintendents and vinegar for provisions.
In addition to representing a big historical narrative, these documents give unique insights into day-to-day life and governance in 4th century BC Persia such as the delivery of food rations to officials, the construction of fortifications to guard a city from attacks, and the need of soldiers to get leave from their military duty in order to fight locusts that threatened their crops. The place of animals in the economy of the province - as meat and beasts of burdens - is made abundantly clear.
The collection of 48 Aramaic documents from Ancient Bactria form one of the Eight Collections held within The Khalili Collections. They have been fully researched and published in the 2012 publication 'Aramaic Documents from Ancient Bactria', written by Joseph Naveh and Shaul Shaked, the world's leading scholars in the field.
Collection Curator: Dror Elkvity
Video content: Colonial Pictures (National Treasures for Sky Arts 2017)
Digital Exhibit curated by Waqas Ahmed
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