Dr. Roel Konijnendijk

But there's one occasion where Xerxes is proffered a dish of dates. And he said, oh, where does this come from? And he's told, oh, these are from Greece. And he says, oh, well, we will not eat them. not until we own it, and then I'll eat Greek dates. So there's something there about actually the produce of the land itself and the king's right and access to it.

But there's one occasion where Xerxes is proffered a dish of dates. And he said, oh, where does this come from? And he's told, oh, these are from Greece. And he says, oh, well, we will not eat them. not until we own it, and then I'll eat Greek dates. So there's something there about actually the produce of the land itself and the king's right and access to it.

But I suppose in the theological term, then the idea of the land being under the control and the rivers being under control is important. There was a kind of like a strange nature connection between the great king and the earth. He was seen very often as a gardener king, you know, letting the earth blossom. You know, the Persian word for a garden is paradisa, from which we get paradise.

But I suppose in the theological term, then the idea of the land being under the control and the rivers being under control is important. There was a kind of like a strange nature connection between the great king and the earth. He was seen very often as a gardener king, you know, letting the earth blossom. You know, the Persian word for a garden is paradisa, from which we get paradise.

But I suppose in the theological term, then the idea of the land being under the control and the rivers being under control is important. There was a kind of like a strange nature connection between the great king and the earth. He was seen very often as a gardener king, you know, letting the earth blossom. You know, the Persian word for a garden is paradisa, from which we get paradise.

But, you know, the earth itself is a paradise. When the Persian kings created their gardens at places like Pasagidae and Susa and Persepolis, they basically planted their gardens with the produce from across the whole of their empire, bringing the empire into miniature here. And also the same with waters as well, of course, which were paramount importance to this kind of nomadic desert peoples.

But, you know, the earth itself is a paradise. When the Persian kings created their gardens at places like Pasagidae and Susa and Persepolis, they basically planted their gardens with the produce from across the whole of their empire, bringing the empire into miniature here. And also the same with waters as well, of course, which were paramount importance to this kind of nomadic desert peoples.

But, you know, the earth itself is a paradise. When the Persian kings created their gardens at places like Pasagidae and Susa and Persepolis, they basically planted their gardens with the produce from across the whole of their empire, bringing the empire into miniature here. And also the same with waters as well, of course, which were paramount importance to this kind of nomadic desert peoples.

So I think there is something real in this demand for earth and water, which would have been played out in court ceremonial, I think.

So I think there is something real in this demand for earth and water, which would have been played out in court ceremonial, I think.

So I think there is something real in this demand for earth and water, which would have been played out in court ceremonial, I think.

But I do think that in those stories, there is, if we scratch the surface, something of the Persian version that goes underneath as well. And that goes back to what I was just saying about the great king being in harmony with nature as well. It's kind of it's kind of set on its head by Herodotus and other Greek writers as well.

But I do think that in those stories, there is, if we scratch the surface, something of the Persian version that goes underneath as well. And that goes back to what I was just saying about the great king being in harmony with nature as well. It's kind of it's kind of set on its head by Herodotus and other Greek writers as well.

But I do think that in those stories, there is, if we scratch the surface, something of the Persian version that goes underneath as well. And that goes back to what I was just saying about the great king being in harmony with nature as well. It's kind of it's kind of set on its head by Herodotus and other Greek writers as well.

So we get, for instance, Xerxes beating the sea with whips and chains and so forth, because it will not kowtow to him at all. But in fact, this is possibly a kind of reminiscence of a Persian water cult where gold and silver and precious metals were thrown into rivers and waters and canals and so forth.

So we get, for instance, Xerxes beating the sea with whips and chains and so forth, because it will not kowtow to him at all. But in fact, this is possibly a kind of reminiscence of a Persian water cult where gold and silver and precious metals were thrown into rivers and waters and canals and so forth.

So we get, for instance, Xerxes beating the sea with whips and chains and so forth, because it will not kowtow to him at all. But in fact, this is possibly a kind of reminiscence of a Persian water cult where gold and silver and precious metals were thrown into rivers and waters and canals and so forth.

Likewise, there's a much later story, of course, very famously about Xerxes falling in love with a plane tree. This is how crazy Xerxes is. He falls in love with this tree and he puts jewelry on it and so forth. Well, it's no coincidence that one of the very rare images we have of Xerxes is a seal that was found at Susa, which shows him decorating a sacred tree with necklaces and jewelry.

Likewise, there's a much later story, of course, very famously about Xerxes falling in love with a plane tree. This is how crazy Xerxes is. He falls in love with this tree and he puts jewelry on it and so forth. Well, it's no coincidence that one of the very rare images we have of Xerxes is a seal that was found at Susa, which shows him decorating a sacred tree with necklaces and jewelry.

Likewise, there's a much later story, of course, very famously about Xerxes falling in love with a plane tree. This is how crazy Xerxes is. He falls in love with this tree and he puts jewelry on it and so forth. Well, it's no coincidence that one of the very rare images we have of Xerxes is a seal that was found at Susa, which shows him decorating a sacred tree with necklaces and jewelry.