Achmetha, also known as Ecbatana, is a significant location mentioned in the Bible, specifically in the book of Ezra. It is referenced in Ezra 6:2, where a scroll was found in the citadel of Achmetha, which confirmed the decree of King Cyrus regarding the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. The Berean Standard Bible states: "And a scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana, in the province of Media, with the following written on it: Memorandum."

Historical and Geographical Context

Achmetha, identified with the ancient city of Ecbatana, was the capital of Media, an ancient kingdom located in what is now northwestern Iran. The city was renowned for its strategic location and its role as a royal residence for the Median and later the Persian empires. Ecbatana was known for its impressive fortifications and palatial structures, which made it a fitting location for the storage of important royal documents.

Biblical Significance

The mention of Achmetha in the book of Ezra highlights its importance as a center of administration and governance during the Persian Empire. The discovery of the decree in Achmetha underscores the providential care of God in preserving the edict that allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. This event is a testament to the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises to His people, as the decree of Cyrus was instrumental in the restoration of worship in Jerusalem.

Cultural and Religious Influence

Achmetha's role as a repository of royal decrees reflects the broader cultural and administrative practices of the Persian Empire, which valued the preservation and dissemination of official documents. The city's mention in the biblical narrative serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of God's plan with the historical and political realities of the time. The preservation of the decree in Achmetha is seen as a divine orchestration that ensured the continuation of the Jewish faith and heritage.

Archaeological Insights

While the exact location of ancient Ecbatana has been debated, it is generally associated with the modern city of Hamadan in Iran. Archaeological findings in the region have provided insights into the grandeur and significance of Ecbatana during the Median and Persian periods. These findings corroborate the biblical account of Achmetha as a place of considerable importance and influence.

In summary, Achmetha, or Ecbatana, is a key location in the biblical narrative, representing God's sovereignty and faithfulness in the unfolding of His redemptive plan. Its mention in the book of Ezra serves as a historical anchor, linking the biblical account to the broader context of ancient Near Eastern history.Achmetha

brother of death

Achmetha

[ECBATANA]

Achmetha

Ezra 6:2, supposed to mean Ecbatana, a city of Media, inferior to none in the East but Babylon and Nineveh. It was surrounded by seven walls, of different heights and colors, and was a summer residence of the Persian kings after Cyrus. Travelers identify it with the modern Hamadan, in which many Jews still reside, and where they profess to point out the tomb of Mordecai and Esther.

(Ezra 6:2), called Ecbatana by classical writers, the capital of northern Media. Here was the palace which was the residence of the old Median monarchs, and of Cyrus and Cambyses. In the time of Ezra, the Persian kings resided usually at Susa of Babylon. But Cyrus held his court at Achmetha; and Ezra, writing a century after, correctly mentions the place where the decree of Cyrus was found. ACHMETHA

ak'-me-tha (Ezra 6:2; 'achmetha'; Septuagint Amatha; Peshitta achmathan; in Tiglath Pileser's inscription circa 1100 B.C. Amadana: in Darius' Behistun Inscr., II, 76-78, Hangmatana = "Place of Assembly"; Agbatana, in Herodotus; Ekbatana, Xenophon, etc.; so 1 Esdras 6:23; Tobit 3:7; 6:05; 7:01; 14:12, 14; Judith 1:1, 2, 14; 2 Maccabees 9:3; Talmud hamdan; now hamadan).

1. Location:

This, the ancient capital of Media, stood (lat 34 degrees 50' North-long. 48 degrees 32' East) near the modern Hamadan, 160 miles West-Southwest of Tehran, almost 6,000 feet above the sea, circa 1 1/2 miles from the foot of Mt. Orontes (Alvand).

2. History:

It was founded or rebuilt by Deiokes (Dayaukku) about 700 B.C. on the site of Ellippi an ancient city of the Manda, and captured by Cyrus 549 B.C. who brought Croesus there as captive (Herodotus i.153). It was the capital of the 10th Nome under Darius I. Cyrus and other Persian kings used to spend the two summer months there yearly, owing to the comparative coolness of the climate. Herodotus describes it as a magnificent city fortified with seven concentric walls (i.98). Its citadel (biretha', Ezra 6:2, wrongly rendered "palace" in the Revised Version (British and American)) is mentioned by Arrian, who says that, when Alexander took the city in 324 B.C., he there stored his enormous booty. In it the royal archives were kept. It stood on a hill, where later was built a temple of Mithra. Polybius (x.27) speaks of the great strength of the citadel.

Though the city was unwalled in his time, he can hardly find words to express his admiration for it, especially for the magnificent royal palace, nearly 7 stadia in circumference, built of precious kinds of wood sheathed in plates of grid and silver. In the city was the shrine of Aine (Nanaea, Anahita?). Alexander is said to have destroyed a temple of AEsculapius (Mithra?) there. Diodorus tells us the city was 250 stadia in circumference. On Mt. Alvand (10, 728 feet) there have been found inscriptions of Xerxes. Doubtless Ecbatana was one of the "cities of the Medes" to which Israel was carried captive (2 Kings 17:6). It should be noted that Greek writers mention several other Ecbatanas. One of these, afterward called Gazaca (Takhti Sulaiman, a little South of Lake Urmi, lat. 36 degrees 28' North, long. 47 degrees 9' East) was capital of Atropatene. It was almost destroyed by the Mughuls in the 12th century. Sir H. Rawlinson identifies the Ecbatana of Tobit and Herodotus with this northern city. The southern and far more important Ecbatana which we have described is certainly that of 2 Maccabees 9:3. It was Cyrus' Median capital, and is doubtless that of Ezra 6:2. Classical writers spoke erroneously of Ecbatana (for Ecbatana) as moderns too often do of Hamadan for Hamadan.

3. Present Condition:

Hamadan has perhaps never fully recovered from the fearful massacre made there in 1220 A.D. by the Mongols, but its population is about 50,000, including a considerable number of descendants of the Israelites of the Dispersion (tracing descent from Asher, Naphtali, etc.). They point to the tombs of Esther and Mordecai in the neighborhood. It is a center for the caravan trade between Baghdad and Tehran. There is an American Presbyterian mission at work. Authorities (besides those quoted above): Ctesias, Curtius, Amm. Marcellinus, Pausanias, Strabo, Diod. Siculus; Ibnu'l Athir, Yaqut, Jahangusha, Jami`u't Tawarikh, and modern travelers.

W. St. Clair Tisdall

307. Achmetha -- the capital of Media
... 306, 307. Achmetha. 308 . the capital of Media. Transliteration: Achmetha Phonetic
Spelling: (akh-me-thaw') Short Definition: Ecbatana. ... Achmetha. ...
/hebrew/307.htm - 6kAchmetha (1 Occurrence)
... But Cyrus held his court at Achmetha; and Ezra, writing a century after, correctly
mentions the place where the decree of Cyrus was found. Int. ...ACHMETHA. ...
/a/achmetha.htm - 10k

Ecbatana (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Ezra 6:2 marg.). (see ACHMETHA.). Int. ... ECBATANA.
ek-bat'-a-na (Ezra 6:2 margin). See ACHMETHA. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/e/ecbatana.htm - 7k

Media (14 Occurrences)
... The decree of Cyrus, Ezra informs us (6:2-5), was found in "the palace that is in
the province of the Medes," Achmetha or Ecbatana of the Greeks, which is the ...
/m/media.htm - 15k

Ecbat'ana (1 Occurrence)
... Ezra 6:2 There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media,
a scroll, and therein was thus written for a record: (See RSV). ...
/e/ecbat'ana.htm - 6k

Darius (26 Occurrences)
... It was not found at Babylon, but at Achmetha (Ezra 6:2); and Darius forthwith issued
a new decree, giving the Jews full liberty to prosecute their work, at the ...
/d/darius.htm - 24k

Memorandum (1 Occurrence)
... Ezra 6:2 There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media,
a scroll, and therein was thus written for a record: (See NAS NIV). ...
/m/memorandum.htm - 7k

Cyrus (20 Occurrences)
... This decree was discovered "at Achmetha [RV marg., "Ecbatana"], in the palace that
is in the province of the Medes" (Ezra 6:2). A chronicle drawn up just after ...
/c/cyrus.htm - 39k

Citadel (20 Occurrences)
... Ezra 6:2 There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media,
a scroll, and therein was thus written for a record: (See NIV). ...
/c/citadel.htm - 13k

Achitob

/a/achitob.htm - 6k

Ahmetha (1 Occurrence)
... Ezra 6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province
of Media, a roll, and therein was thus written for a record: (See JPS). ...
/a/ahmetha.htm - 6k

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