Biblically Compatible Archaeology and Geography

  by   Damien F. Mackey     Can we find queens of a king of Persia appropriate to the biblical Vashti and Esther?     Firstly it was necessary to identify:   “King Ahasuerus” of Book of Esther   https://www.academia.edu/24698880/_King_Ahasuerus_of_Book_of_Esther   my conclusion there being that: “ “ King Ahasuerus” was Darius the Mede/Cyrus”. Now, presuming that I am correct about the “Great King” of the Book of Esther, “Ahasuerus”, being the well-respected Cyrus - but also a Darius - it should not be too difficult to track a queen of his appropriate to the biblical Queen Esther (and to Queen Vashti as well). Some would argue that to attempt to do so is quite a waste of time, because the Book of Esther is merely a wonderful fiction, and not properly historical. New World Encyclopedia tells of the historically differing range of views about the Book of Esther: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.o...

  by   Damien F. Mackey         Here begins the task of revising ancient Persian history, with an anticipated severe reduction in the number of kings that one will find listed in the text books.         Introduction   Ezra 4:4-6 gives the overall range of Persian history to be covered in this chapter, from Cyrus to Darius:   Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.   before the sacred writer(s) proceed to fill in the details - especially regarding the forced interruption of   work towards the building of the Temple (vv. 6-23). The narrative then returns to, and concludes with, king Darius in v. 24: “ Then ceased the work of th...