The Researches of Alexander Hool
Continued from:
Chronology Revisions CR-1.
The Different Systems of Computing Dates.
https://hebrewnations.com/articles/16/chronology/rabbinchronology.html
We saw that according to Alexander Hool the major differences between Conventional Chronology (CC) of Ancient Times and Rabbinical Chronology (RC) is that CC ends the Persian Period with the Conquest and defeat of Darius by Alexander the Great of Greece. RC on the other hand identifies the Darius mentioned with Darius the Great, and says that only 4 Persian Kings reigned before Alexander. All the other kings reigned afterwards as subjects of the Greeks and the Parthians after them. This line of remaining Persian monarchs co-existed with the Greeks. The Seleucids ruled from Babylon. No documents refer to their power in Persia itself even though they officially ruled over it.
Danile (LB) 11:
11 I WAS THE ONE SENT TO STRENGTHEN AND HELP DARIUS THE MEDE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS REIGN. 2 BUT NOW I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. THREE MORE PERSIAN KINGS WILL REIGN, TO BE SUCCEEDED BY A FOURTH, FAR RICHER THAN THE OTHERS. USING HIS WEALTH FOR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE, HE WILL PLAN TOTAL WAR AGAINST GREECE.
3 THEN A MIGHTY KING WILL RISE IN GREECE, A KING WHO WILL RULE A VAST KINGDOM AND ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING HE SETS OUT TO DO.
CC says that the Land of Israel was ruled by Persia for 189 years.
RC says the Persians ruled over it for 34 years.
An inscribed record known as the URUK King List was discovered in 1959-60. It confirmed the RC. Other finds have since corroborated it.
Hool says that there is much more archaeological evidence of Persian Kings ruling after Alexander than there is of the Greek Seleucid Kings who ruled over them.
Literally 100s of cuneiform tablets support this understanding. So too, Ancient papyrus documents from Egypt confirm it.
Why would the Greeks falsify ancient history?
We do not really know.
Hool suggests that it was a deliberate attempt to undermine the truth of the Bible as proven by Daniel 11. This was a Prophecy that had been partially fulfilled in the time of the Greeks and did not bode well for their future.
A Cuneiform Text "reports the entry of Persian King Artaxerxes into a temple in Babylonia during the mourning of the death of Alexander the Great. This negates the possibility that the Darius defeated by Alexander was the last Persian king Darius III."
We have thousands of documents pertaining to the first 4 Persian Kings but little more than a 100 for all the rest of them altogether. This fits with the scenario that they were no longer independent monarchs but had become a ,local sub-dynasty with only regional influence.
They may however have ruled over part of Egypt as well as Persia,
Years of Reign.
The RC says:
Darius the Mede 1 year.
Cyrus 3 years
Achashveirosh (time of Queen Esther) 14 years.
Darius 36 years.
CC says:
Cyrus 9 years.
Camyses 8 years.
Darius -1 36 years.
cf.
Daniel (TLB) 5:30 THAT VERY NIGHT BELSHAZZAR, THE CHALDEAN KING, WAS KILLED, 31 AND DARIUS THE MEDE ENTERED THE CITY AND BEGAN REIGNING AT THE AGE OF SIXTY-TWO.
It continues:
6:
1 DARIUS DIVIDED THE KINGDOM INTO 120 PROVINCES, EACH UNDER A GOVERNOR. 2 THE GOVERNORS WERE ACCOUNTABLE TO THREE PRESIDENTS (DANIEL WAS ONE OF THEM) SO THE KING COULD ADMINISTER THE KINGDOM EFFICIENTLY.
3 DANIEL SOON PROVED HIMSELF MORE CAPABLE THAN ALL THE OTHER PRESIDENTS AND GOVERNORS, FOR HE HAD GREAT ABILITY, AND THE KING BEGAN TO THINK OF PLACING HIM OVER THE ENTIRE EMPIRE AS HIS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
Here it says that Darius the Mede conquered Babylon. The RC agrees with this. The C says it was not Darius the Mede but Cyrus the Persian!
Both Josephus and the ancient Persian chroniclers refer to Darius as the father-in-law of Cyrus. Josephus says that Darius died a year later and bequeathed the kingdom to his son-in-law Cyrus.
There are sources supporting both the RC and the CC versions. The age of Darius the Mede corresponds to the age of Cyrus given by Cicero. It has been suggested that Darius the Mede and Cyrus (whose mother was a Median) are the same person under different names.
Hoot however claims that Darius the Mede is Cambyses the son of Cyrus.
Other individuals with double names in Scripture include:
Azariah (2-Kings 15:1) - Uzziah (2-Kings 15:30).
Esther - Hadassah.
The Sages made other identifications:
Yiscah - Sarah
Shifrah - Miriam
Puah - Yocheved.
Hasach - Daniel.
Hoot suggests that Achashverush as well as being the name of an actual king was also a generic term for any ruler of Persia like "Pharaoh" was for Egypt.