Difference between revisions 189950153 and 189950334 on enwiki

'''Otanes''' ([[Persian language|Old Persian]] Utāna): [[Persian Empire|Persian]] nobleman, one of the seven conspirators who killed the [[Magian]] usurper [[Gaumâta|Gaumāta]] and helped [[Darius I]] the Great become king ([[29 September]] [[522 BC]]). Several years later, he added the [[Greece|Greek]] island [[Samos Island|Samos]] to the [[Achaemenid]] empire.

In March 522, a Magian named Gaumāta seized power in the [[Achaemenid]] empire, claiming to be the brother of the legitimate king [[Cambyses]], [[Smerdis]]. Gaumâāta could do this, because Smerdis had been killed secretly. Immediately, Cambyses advanced to the usurper, but he died before he reached Persia; the false Smerdis was able to rule for several months.

According to the Greek researcher [[Herodotus]], Otanes, the brother of the mother of Cambyses and the real Smerdis, was the first to become suspicious of the false [[Smerdis]]. From his daughter [[Phaedymia]], who was married to the king, he learned that Smerdis was in reality a [[Magian]]. On hearing this news, Otanes invited [[Aspathines]] and [[Gobryas]] to discuss the usurpation. Together, they decided to invite three other conspirators: [[Hydarnes]], [[Intaphrenes]] and [[Megabyzus (desambiguaction)|Megabyzus]]. They were still making plans, when Darius arrived and sided with them. He convinced the seven to strike immediately and not to wait, as Otanes had proposed. On 29 September 522 BCE, the seven killed the false Smerdis.

That Otanes was involved in the killing of Gaumâta is confirmed by another source, the [[Behistun]] inscription. This inscription also tells us the name of Otanes' father, which was [[Thukhra|Θuxra]]. [[Herodotus]] is mistaken when he calls him [[Pharnaspes]], but it is possible to rescue him by accepting the hypothesis that Thukra was a nickname ('redhead').

(contracted; show full)*''This entry incorporates public domain text originally by Jona Lendering ©.''

[[Category:Persian people]]

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