Seven Achaemenid clans

Seven Achaemenid Clans or seven Achaemenid houses were seven significant families that had key roles during Achaemenid era. Only one of them had regnant pedigree.

Nobles of seven clans

According to Herodotus, after the departure of Cambyses II for Egypt, the usurper Gaumata impersonated Smerdis (Bardiya) - the younger brother of Cambyses, and became king. A group of seven Persian noblemen became suspicious of the false king and conspired to overthrow Gaumata. After death of Gaumata, in a negotiation about determination of form of government, Otanes (Hutan) recommended democratic government but his offer was not adopted and monarchy continued in Iran.

Names of them were mentioned in Herodotus' Histories and the Behistun Inscription:

1. Otanes
2. Ardumanish (possibly the same as Aspathines)
3. Gobryas, father of Mardonius
4. Intaphrenes
5. Megabyzus I
6. Hydarnes
7. Darius I

Arthur Emanuel Christensen the Danish historian and Iranologist, Herodotus was mistaken to say their main prominence was participation of them in murder of Gaumata. Also, the Parthians continued those formations.

See also

• Seven Parthian clans

References

• Sassanid Persia by Arthur Emanuel Christensen