Nehemiah the Cupbearer
Here he is
behind the king similar to cupbearers before him in from Darius to Artaxerxes I. A video
shows where Esther’s palace was, reconstructed by Architects working with
Archaeologists. Also where
Nehemia and Mordechai worked in the Treasury Archives. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fdJNjF0lcY
Mordechai’s
name appeared in texts before 457 BCE but that is the last entry of that name.
No evidence can be found after this date in the Persepolis Treasury Texts. The
cupbearer was the second or third most important figure for the King besides
his own son, like scenes here where Xerxes stands behind (actually next to) his
father Darius. Artaxerxes removed the images of Darius and Xerxes and left a
blank space where the throne is supposed to be. Maybe not everywhere but J.
Becker below indicated that and one can see one such example below of
Artaxerxes I’s style under the winged god where one would expect a throne
scene. Nehemiah said to Artaxerxes I that he is going and then Artaxerxes I
asked him how long he will go and when he will come back. The were like trusted
close ministers in the court of the King to advise him and take care of his
personal immediate needs. Thus, the cupbearer. Look on
the walls and see that the cupbearer was depicted many times and many different
walls in the Hall of Hundred Columns. The photos below shows the cupbearer
behind the king in Throne Room art. The kings are either Darius, Xerxes
(Esther) or Artaxerxes I (Ezra) and (Nehemiah which is here depicted as
cupbearer). https://oi.uchicago.edu/gallery/throne-hall#2F11_72dpi.png https://www.slideshare.net/atifahzulaikha/persepolis-49038271 When Artaxerxes I became king following
Xerxes' death in 466 BCE, he reconfigured these reliefs. The relief scenes of
Xerxes and Darius were relocated. He replaced this scene with the grouping of
Persian and Median guards facing each other, with a blank square in between the
groups. The same scene appears on the Tripylon, another building at Persepolis
completed by Artaxerxes I. In the photo above "East stairway,
Apādana, Persepolis (Fars, Iran), c. 520-465 B.C.E." there are what looks
like guards on the right side holding shields spears and - they face toward the
left. On the left side, just right of the lion-biting bull frieze are more
soldiers holding spears facing thr right. Over both groups -center- is the
winged sun (Ahura-Mazda?) the God. What my question is does anyone know or
theorize what would have been in the center blank panel these two groups face?
A God? The King? Anyone know why the panel is blank? Artaxerxes I left it blank East stairway, Apādana, Persepolis (Fars, Iran), c. 520-465 B.C.E. https://www.livius.org/pictures/iran/persepolis/persepolis-tripylon/persepolis-tripylon-staircase/