Anderson, Steven D. and Rodger C. Young, “The Remembrance of Daniel’s Darius the Mede in Berossus and Harpocration,” Bibliotheca Sacra 173 (July-Sept. 2016): 315-23.
These authors argue that there is extrabiblical evidence for a king Darius prior to Darius I found in Berossus and Harpocration. This Darius fits in time period and position the Darius the Mede mentioned in Daniel. The most interesting evidence comes from Berossus, who wrote: “Cyrus at first treated him [Nabonidus] kindly, and, giving a residence to him in Carmania, sent him out of Babylonia. (But) Darius the king took away some of his province for himself.” This would place Cyrus and Darius as contemporaneous rulers. The authors say in a footnote they are inclined to identify this Darius with the Cyaxares II found in Xenophon’s Cyropaedia, though this is not argued for in this article.
I have been inclined to see Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian as two names for the same person, but I find the argument of this article intriguing.
Michael Riley says
I had the privilege of meeting Steven. He had family in the area.
One Sunday, a young man walked into our church carrying a Greek/Hebrew Bible (not a study Bible, but the Greek and Hebrew text in one volume). So I asked the obvious question: what seminary are you attending? He was, at the time, finishing his dissertation (which lies back of the article you’re citing) at Dallas Seminary.
In many places, it wouldn’t be unusual to have two PhD students in theology in the same church. Up here in the UP, it was certainly unexpected.
I found Steven’s work fascinating as well. He allowed me to look through his dissertation when I was preaching through Daniel.
Brian says
Michael, thanks for the note. His dissertation is posted on his Academia page. I left him a note when I downloaded it, and he noted in reply that he had a number of BJU connected friends.