Amytis of Media

Amuhia or Amytis of Media (c. 630 - 565 BC) was the daughter or granddaughter of the king Cyaxares, and the wife of Nebuchadnezzar II.

Birth

Amytis was either born to Cyaxares and his wife or to Cyaxares's son and daughter-in-law. It is not known whether Cyaxares was her father or grandfather.

Marriage to Nebuchadnezzar II

585 BC; Amytis married Nebuchadnezzar to formalize the alliance between the Babylonian and Median dynasties.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

It is reported that Amytis' homesickness for the forested mountains of the Median Empire led to the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, as Nebuchadnezzar attempted to please her by planting the trees and plants of her homeland.^[1]

Ancient Near East portal

Etymology

AMYTIS, Median and Persian female name, attested only in the Greek form A´mytis, which perhaps may reflect (with vowel metathesis) an old Persian *Umati—equivalent to Avestan humaiti— “having good thought ” ^[2]

References

Further reading

• Nos ancêtres de l'Antiquité, 1991, Christian Settipani, p. 152

v t e Median topics Language Median language, Iranian language Median Empire and its neighbors, ca. 600 BC Cities Ecbatana (Hamadan) • Rhagae (Shahre Rey, Tehran) • Laodicea (Nahavand) Battles involving Lydia Battle of Halys Battles involving Persia Persian Revolt • Battle of Hyrba • Battle of the Persian Border • Siege of Pasargadae Hill • Battle of Pasargadae • Fall of Ecbatana Kings/Satraps Deioces • Phraortes • Madius • Cyaxares • Astyages • Cyaxares II Other Medians Amytis of Media • Artembares • Datis • Gubaru • Mazares • Aryenis • Mandane

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