he advantage of
the king and his house, since, when the temple was finished, sacrifices
would be offered in it to "the God of Heaven," and prayer would be made
"for the life of the king and of his sons." Such was the sympathy which
still united pure Zoroastrianism with the worship of Jehovah. But the
reign, which, so far, might have seemed to be auspiciously begun,
was destined ere long to meet opposition, and even to encounter armed
hostility, in various quarters. In the loosely organized empires of
the early type, a change of sovereign, especially if accompanied
by revolutionary violence, is always regarded as an opportunity for
rebellion. Doubt as to the condition of the capital paralyzes the
imperial authority in the provinces; and bold men, taking advantage
of the moment of weakness, start up in various places, asserting
independence, and seeking to obtain for themselves kingdoms out of
the chaos which they see around them. The more remote provinces are
especially liable to be thus affected, and often revolt successfully on
such an occasion. It appears that the circumstances under which Darius
obtained the throne were more than usually provocative of the spirit
of disaffection and rebellion. Not only did the governors of remote
countries, like Egypt and Lydia, assume an attitude incompatible with
their duty as subjects, but everywhere, even in the very heart of the
Empire, insurrection raised its head; and for six long years the new
king was constantly employed in reducing one province after another to
obedience. Susiana, Babylonia, Persia itself, Media, Assyria, Armenia,
Hyrcania, Parthia, Margiana, Sagartia, and Sacia, all revolted during
this space, and were successively chastised and recovered. It may
be suspected that the religious element entered into some of these
struggles, and that the unusual number of the revolts and the obstinate
character of many of them were connected with the downfall of Magism and
the restoration of the pure Zoroastrian faith, which Darius was bent on
effecting. But this explanation can only be applied partially. We must
suppose, besides, a sort of contagion of rebellion--an awakening of
hopes, far and wide, among the subject nations, as the rumor that
serious troubles had broken out reached them, and a resolution to take
advantage of the critical state of things, spreading rapidly from one
people to another.

A brief sketch of these various revolts must now be given. They
commence