Palaces and Parties Palaces and Parties

The Art of the Purim StoryThe Art of the Purim Story

The Achaemenid DynastyThe Achaemenid Dynasty

Some Famous Achaemenid Kings:Some Famous Achaemenid Kings:* Cyrus the Great (559-530 BCE): * Cyrus the Great (559-530 BCE):

Allowed the Jews to return to Israel Allowed the Jews to return to Israel in 539 BCE after the first in 539 BCE after the first churbanchurban of of the Beit HaMikdash in 586 BCEthe Beit HaMikdash in 586 BCE

Edict of Cyrus whichallowed peoples in lands

he had conquered to return to their

homelands

* Darius I, the Great: Made Susa the * Darius I, the Great: Made Susa the capital of the Persian Empire and capital of the Persian Empire and began building Persepolisbegan building Persepolis

* Xerxes I: Was he King Ahasuerus?* Xerxes I: Was he King Ahasuerus?

PersepolisPersepolis

Though Darius I, or Darius the Great, Though Darius I, or Darius the Great, built Persepolis, Xerxes and other built Persepolis, Xerxes and other Achaemenid kings added on to the Achaemenid kings added on to the palacepalace

Map of the Achaemenid DynastyMap of the Achaemenid Dynasty

אסתר פרק אאסתר פרק א ויהי בימי אחשורוש הוא אחשורוש המלך מהדו ועד כוש שבע ועשרים ויהי בימי אחשורוש הוא אחשורוש המלך מהדו ועד כוש שבע ועשרים

::ומאה מדינהומאה מדינה It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—that Ahasuerus It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—that Ahasuerus

who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. . . . provinces from India to Ethiopia. . . .

Persepolis, 518 BCE to 330 BCEPersepolis, 518 BCE to 330 BCE

Persepolis Persepolis

The Many Faces at The Many Faces at PersepolisPersepolis

Esther 1:4:Esther 1:4: אסתר פרק א פסוק ד אסתר פרק א פסוק ד

בהראתו את עשר כבוד מלכותו ואת יקר תפארת בהראתו את עשר כבוד מלכותו ואת יקר תפארת ::גדולתו ימים רבים שמונים ומאת יוםגדולתו ימים רבים שמונים ומאת יום

For no fewer than a hundred and For no fewer than a hundred and eighty days he [King Ahasuerus] eighty days he [King Ahasuerus] displayed the vast riches of his displayed the vast riches of his kingdom and the splendid glory kingdom and the splendid glory of his majesty.of his majesty.

אסתר פרק אאסתר פרק א)ה( ובמלואת הימים האלה עשה המלך לכל העם )ה( ובמלואת הימים האלה עשה המלך לכל העם

הנמצאים בשושן הבירה למגדול ועד קטן משתה שבעת הנמצאים בשושן הבירה למגדול ועד קטן משתה שבעת

::ימים בחצר גנת ביתן המלךימים בחצר גנת ביתן המלך Esther 1:5: At the end of this period, the king gave Esther 1:5: At the end of this period, the king gave a banquet for seven days in the court of the king’s a banquet for seven days in the court of the king’s

palace garden for all the people who lived in the palace garden for all the people who lived in the

fortress Shushan, high and low alike.fortress Shushan, high and low alike.

An example of a “palace An example of a “palace garden”: Darius I’s palacegarden”: Darius I’s palace

One of the bull capitalsfrom the columns in the

apadana in Susa,now in the Louvre Museum

Esther 1:7: The drinking vessels were golden Esther 1:7: The drinking vessels were golden beakers, beakers of varied design.beakers, beakers of varied design.

אסתר פרק אאסתר פרק א והשקות בכלי זהב וכלים מכלים שונים ויין מלכות והשקות בכלי זהב וכלים מכלים שונים ויין מלכות ( (זז))

::רב כיד המלךרב כיד המלך

Reign of Artaxerxes II, ca. 404-359 B.C.Reign of Artaxerxes II, ca. 404-359 B.C. GoldGold

This snarling winged This snarling winged lion in gold repoussé lion in gold repoussé attests to the attests to the exceptional skill of exceptional skill of Achaemenid goldsmiths. Achaemenid goldsmiths. Greek writers often Greek writers often speak of the speak of the tremendous wealth of tremendous wealth of the Persians, and the Persians, and Herodotus writes that Herodotus writes that King Xerxes' troops King Xerxes' troops "were adorned with the "were adorned with the greatest greatest magnificence...they magnificence...they glittered all over with glittered all over with gold, vast quantities of gold, vast quantities of which they wore about which they wore about their persons." their persons." 

Rhytons:Rhytons:

A rhyton is a A rhyton is a drinking vessel drinking vessel with a horn-like with a horn-like opening.opening.

The pointed heads The pointed heads of rhytons were of rhytons were often shaped like often shaped like animals.animals.

Like all good Persian kings, Like all good Persian kings, Ahasuerus was a generous Ahasuerus was a generous

host! host!

Esther 1:8-9: And there was royal wine in Esther 1:8-9: And there was royal wine in abundance as befits a king. And the rule for the abundance as befits a king. And the rule for the

drinking was, “No restrictions!”drinking was, “No restrictions!”

אסתר פרק א אסתר פרק א ח( והשתיה כדת אין אנסח( והשתיה כדת אין אנס

( ביום השביעי כטוב לב המלך ביין אמר למהומן ( ביום השביעי כטוב לב המלך ביין אמר למהומן ייבזתא חרבונא בגתא ואבגתא זתר וכרכס שבעת בזתא חרבונא בגתא ואבגתא זתר וכרכס שבעת

::הסריסים המשרתים את פני המלך אחשורושהסריסים המשרתים את פני המלך אחשורוש

On the seventh On the seventh day, when the day, when the king was merry king was merry with wine . . . .with wine . . . .

What decision does Ahasuerus What decision does Ahasuerus make when drunk?make when drunk?

A Greek historian A Greek historian records that records that Persian kings Persian kings preferred to make preferred to make important important decisions when decisions when drunk drunk

They would rethink They would rethink their decisions their decisions when they were when they were sobersober

The Greek historian, The Greek historian, HerodotusHerodotus

The Purim Feast:The Purim Feast: The Persians feastedThe Persians feasted The king shared The king shared

food with friendsfood with friends ““High and low High and low

alike”: The feast of alike”: The feast of Ahasuerus was for Ahasuerus was for everyone, rich and everyone, rich and poor. poor.

We feastWe feast We share food with We share food with

friendsfriends We also give gifts We also give gifts

to to the the poorpoor

Jan Victor, The Banquet of Estherand Ahaseurus,1640’s

So get out your So get out your favorite gold rhyton favorite gold rhyton

and party!and party!

HAPPY PURIM!HAPPY PURIM!