Vahyazdata

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Vahyazdata (वाह्यजदात) or Bardiya or Smerdis, possibly died 522 BCE, was a son of Cyrus the Great and the younger brother of Cambyses II, both Persian kings.

Variants

• Vahyazdāta
• Bardiya
• Smerdis Ancient Greek: Σμέρδις Smérdis; (Old Persian: 𐎲𐎼𐎮𐎡𐎹
• Tanyoxarces (Old Persian: *Tanūvazraka; Ancient Greek: Τανυοξάρκης Tanuoxárkēs by Ctesias

Divided views on his life

There are sharply divided views on his life. Bardiya either ruled the Achaemenid Empire for a few months in 522 BCE, or was impersonated by a magus called Gaumata (Old Persian: 𐎥𐎢𐎶𐎠𐎫 Gaumāta), whose name is given by Ctesias as Sphendadates (Old Persian: *Spantadātah; Ancient Greek: Σφενδαδάτης Sphendadátēs), until he was toppled by Darius the Great.

History

Buddha Prakash mentions that ....The success of Pukkusati against such a mighty king as Cyrus demonstrated the strength of the heroic tradition reinforced by order, discipline and organization. But we have no knowledge of the successors of Pukkusati. It is also not unlikely that one of them sided with the Yautiyā insurgent Vahyazdāta against Darius the Great. Vahyazdāta tried to capture Kapishkanish and drive a wedge between the satraps of Harahvatis (Helmund Valley) and Bakhtrish (Bactriana) who were siding with Darius. But the satraps of Bakhtrish, Vivana, intercepted him and foiled his scheme by crushing him at Kapishi and Gandutava.

Bhim Singh Dahiya mentions ....Parthia and Hyrcania (the land of the Virks) revolted against Darius and declared their support for Fravartish. Vahyazdata revolted in Yutia district and became the ruler of Persia proper. He sent an army to Arachosia: The Armenians fought at least 5 battles, and Fravartish fought at least three battles. It is significant that most of these rebels were supporters of the dynasty of Huvakshatra, the Manda. Vahyazdata wanted to cut off Darius from the eastern region of the empire and wanted to come into contact with the areas by Fravarhsh. These details taken from the Behistun inscription of Darius, make our point clear. These wars for the throne of Ecbatana were being fought under varous leaders who were supporters of the Manda clan. Ultimately, however, they failed and Darius was victorious.

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Buddha Prakash mentions.... [p.104]: Foremost among the tribes, who took up the struggle against the Saka-Kushanas, were the Yaudheyas. They were akin to the Iranian tribe Yautiya, who figured in the volkerwanderung

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[p.105]: of peoples which brought the Medes and Persians into Iran about the 9th-8th century B. C. Driven forward by the Medes, these people bifurcated into two wings, the right one pushing north-west- wards up to Transcaspiana and the left one wheeling towards the south-east and penetrating into the Panjab. In the sixth century B. C. their chief Vahyazdata posed a challenge before the Achaemenian emperor Darius by capturing the Kabul Valley, but was defeated by the governor of Harahvatis, Vivana.

Along with the Yautiya the warrior clans of the Hindukush region, called ‘the ten mandalas of Lohita’ in the Mahabharata (II, 27, 17) and Rohitagiriya in the Kashika (IV, 3, 91), who gave their name Roh to medieval Afghanistan, also seem to have moved cast. The name of the township of Rohitaka or Rohtak in Hariyana appears to enshrine a reminiscence of their settlement. The name of a Jat gotra Rohila also suggests that these people are connected with the ancient Rohitas or Rohs who had come to East Panjab. Subsequently they moved into Rajasthana where we come across the name Rohilladdhi in the Jodhpur inscription of Bauka. In medieval times they settled in the Transgangetic region of Uttar Pradesha which came to be known as Rohilkhand after them. That the Rohitas (Ruhilas of medieval times) moved with the Yautiya becomes clear from the existence of the settlements of both of them in the same region of Hariyana.

Utians

On the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great, a land in Southern Persis called "Vautiya" or "Yautiya" is described. Some scholars have suggested that might be the same as the homeland of the people Herodotus called "Utians".

A man named Vahyazdāta, residing in a city called Tārvā in a region named Yautiyā in Persia, rose up for a second time in Persia. He told the people: "I am Bardiya, the son of Cyrus." After that, the Persian army at the palace, which had previously come from Anshan, disobeyed me and turned to Vahyazdāta. He became king in Persia.....Darius the King, Behistun Inscription, 2nd Column, Clause 5. (Revolt of Vahyazdâta of Persia, S.No.40)

Revolt of Vahyazdâta of Persia

Behustun_Inscription mentions about Revolt of Vahyazdâta of Persia as under (see -(Revolt_of_Vahyazdâta_of_Persia):

• (40) King Darius [Dâryavuš] says: A certain man named Vahyazdâta dwelt in a city called Târavâ in a district in Persia called Vautiyâ. This man rebelled for the second time in Persia, and thus he spoke unto the people: 'I am Smerdis (Bardiya), the son of Cyrus [Kûruš].' Then the Persian people who were in the palace fell away from allegiance. They revolted from me and went over to that Vahyazdâta. He became king in Persia.
• (41) King Darius says: Then did I send out the Persian and the Median army which was with me. A Persian named Artavardiya, my servant, I made their leader. The rest of the Persian army came unto me in Media. Then went Artavardiya with the army unto Persia. When he came to Persia, at a city in Persia called Rakhâ, that Vahyazdâta, who called himself Smerdis, advanced with the army against Artavardiya to give him battle. They then fought the battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my host utterly overthrew the army of Vahyazdâta. On the twelfth day of the month Thûravâhara (24 May 521) was the battle fought by them.

• (42) King Darius says: Then that Vahyazdâta fled thence with a few horsemen unto Pishiyâuvâda. From that place he went forth with an army a second time against Artavardiya to give him battle. At a mountain called Parga they fought the battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my host utterly overthrew the army of Vahyazdâta. On the fifth day of the month Garmapada (15 July 521) was the battle fought by them. And they seized that Vahyazdâta, and the men who were his chief followers were also seized.

• (43) King Darius says: Then did I crucify that Vahyazdâta and the men who were his chief followers in a city in Persia called Uvâdaicaya.

• (44) King Darius says: This is what was done by me in Persia.

• (45) King Darius says: That Vahyazdâta, who called himself Smerdis, sent men to Arachosia (Harauvati) against a Persian named Vivâna, my servant, the satrap of Arachosia. He appointed a certain man to be their leader, and thus he spoke to him, saying: 'Go smite Vivâna and the host which acknowledges king Darius!' Then that army that Vahyazdâta had sent marched against Vivâna to give him battle. At a fortress called Kapiša-kaniš [= Kandahar ] they fought the battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my army utterly overthrew that rebel host. On the thirteenth day of the month Anâmaka (29 December 522) was the battle fought by them.

• (46) King Darius says: The rebels assembled a second time and went out against Vivâna to give him battle. At a place called Gandutava they fought a battle. Ahuramazda brought me help; by the grace of Ahuramazda my army utterly overthrew that rebel host. On the seventh day of the month Viyaxana (21 February 521) the battle was fought by them.

• (47) King Darius says: The man who was commander of that army that Vahyazdâta had sent forth against Vivâna fled thence with a few horsemen. They went to a fortress in Arachosia called Aršâdâ. Then Vivâna with the army marched after them on foot. There he seized him, and he slew the men who were his chief followers.

• (48) King Darius says: Then was the province mine. This is what was done by me in Arachosia.