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Median rebels

Followers of Fravartish in the revolt of Media against Darius, 522-521 BCE

Late in 522, soon after Darius seized the throne, a Mede named Fravartish claimed descent from the old Median king Cyaxares and raised Media in revolt. His followers fought Darius's generals and then the King himself before they were crushed in 521. Historians count the Median rising among the most dangerous of the revolts Darius recorded at Behistun, because Media was one of the core lands of the empire.

In the game: In Bagastana and Parsa, Median rebels appear as spearmen, archers, captains, a champion of Fravartish and Nisaean horse archers who join raids. The champion and captains are game inventions; Behistun names no such men.

Fravartish raises Media

In the record

Darius says that a Mede named Fravartish rose in Media and told the people he was Khshathrita, of the family of Cyaxares. The Median people at home, probably meaning the troops at the palace, went over to him, and he became king in Media. Parthia and Hyrcania soon declared for him too, and Darius's father Hystaspes had to fight there.

Behistun inscription, DB §24, §35

Battles at Marush and Kunduru

In the record

Darius sent Hydarnes (Vidarna) with an army of Persians and Medes loyal to him, so Medes fought on both sides. Hydarnes fought the rebels at Marush in Media and then waited in the district of Kampanda for the King. Darius marched from Babylon and defeated Fravartish at Kunduru in 521. The Babylonian version of the text adds casualty figures for these battles.

Behistun inscription, DB §25, §31

Punishment at Ecbatana

In the record

Fravartish fled with a few horsemen towards Raga but was taken. Darius says he cut off his nose, ears and tongue, put out one eye, and kept him chained at the palace gate for all to see, then impaled him at Ecbatana and hanged his leading men in the fortress there. A Sagartian named Chissantakhma, who made the same claim to Cyaxares' line, was impaled at Arbela. Fravartish stands among the bound rebels on the Behistun relief.

Behistun inscription, DB §32-33

How the Medes fought

Ancient account

Herodotus says the Medes were armed like the Persians, with felt caps, tunics, wicker shields, short spears, bows and daggers, and that the Persians had in fact taken this dress from the Medes. He also mentions the large horses bred on the Nisaean plain in Media. His descriptions come from Xerxes' army about forty years later, not from the revolt itself.

Herodotus 7.40; Herodotus 7.61-62

Who the rebels were

Disputed

Herodotus notes only briefly that the Medes later revolted against Darius and were beaten. Historians still debate whether Fravartish was truly of the old royal house or simply used the name, how much of the Median nobility backed him, and how the battle dates in Darius's text fit his claim of nineteen battles in a single year. All detailed knowledge comes from the victor's own account.

Herodotus 1.130; P. Briant, From Cyrus to Alexander, 2002