Investigation and analysis of the reason for the assassination of Darius III of the Achaemenids (based on the cultural theory of Michel Foucault)

Golshanirad, Karim

doi:10.22103/jis.2023.20436.2407

Investigation and analysis of the reason for the assassination of Darius III of the Achaemenids (based on the cultural theory of Michel Foucault)

Document Type : Scientific

Author

karim golshanirad

department of history.faculty of human scintifiece.univercity of lurestan.khoramabad.iran

10.22103/jis.2023.20436.2407

Abstract

Darius III (336-330 BC) is the last Achaemenid king whose reign coincided with the invasion of Alexander the Great. Darius could not stop the Macedonian-Greek army, and finally the Achaemenid dynasty became extinct during this reign. Darius himself, after repeated escapes from Alexander's army, was finally killed by Bessus Satrap Bactria (Balkh) and his Persian supporters. The research method in this research is descriptive, analytical and the use of valid historical sources and references. In this study, it is assumed that Darius made numerous political and military mistakes in confronting Alexander and his army, and instead of resisting to increase the morale of his army, he fled. So it lost its legitimacy among many Persians and they were thinking of a solution. Finally, in order to save the Achaemenid dynasty, Bessus and his allies first dethroned and arrested Darius, and when Darius tried to surrender to Alexander, he was forced to kill him in order to prevent Darius's captivity and the loss of the Achaemenid dynasty. Thus, according to Michel Foucault's cultural theory, Darius, who was initially elected to the kingdom because of his courage and merit, loses his legitimacy with his allies and is killed after numerous escapes in battle.

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