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Bodashtart

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Bodashtart
Reign525–515 BC
PredecessorEshmunazar II
SuccessorYatonmilk
Phoenician language𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕
DynastyEshmunazar I dynasty
ReligionCanaanite polytheism
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The first known Bodashtart inscription, known today as CIS I 4, currently in the Louvre as AO 4838

Bodashtart (Phoenician: 𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕) was a Phoenician King of Sidon (c. 525–515 BC) and the grandson of king Eshmunazar I. [1][2][3][4][5][6] His name was attested on the multiple eponymous inscriptions found at the Temple of Eshmun and elsewhere in the hinterland of the city of Sidon in Lebanon.[6]

Bodashtart was a prolific builder.[7] His reign is thought to have lasted for at least seven years as evidenced by one of his dedicatory inscriptions.[8]

Epigraphic sources

Bodashtart, dubbed the "Builder King", carried out an extensive expansion and restoration project of the Temple of Eshmun and left some 30 dedicatory inscriptions at the temple site.[7] The first phase of the works involved adding a second podium at the base of the temple.[7] During this construction phase, inscriptions were carved on the added podium's foundation stones around 530 BC; these inscriptions, known as KAI 15, mention Bodashtart alone.[9][10] A second set of inscriptions (KAI 16) were placed on restoration ashlar stones; these stones mention Bodashtart and his son Yatonmilk and emphasize the latter's legitimacy as heir, associate him with the reign of his father,[a][9][10] and assign him a share of credit for the construction project.[11]

Phoenician inscription of King Bodashtart found on the Temple of Eshmun's podium. Bustan el-Sheikh, Sidon, 6th century BC.[12]

One example of the Bodashtart's inscriptions reads: "The king Bodashtart and his legitimate heir Yatonmilk, king of the Sidonians, grandson of king Eshmunazar, king of the Sidonians, built this temple to his god Eshmun, the Sacred Prince".[13] Another translation reads: "King Bodashtart, and his pious son (or legitimate successor), Yatonmilk, king of the Sidonians, descendants (bn bn) of King Eshmunazar, king of the Sidonians, this house he built to his god, to Eshmun, lord/god of the sanctuary".[14]

Apart from inscriptions detailing Bodashtart's expansion of the Temple to Eshmun, little is known about his reign. The translation of one of the inscriptions mentioning the king (CIS I 4) is still a matter of debate; some scholars interpret the text as a commemoration of building a temple to Astarte during the first year of Bodashtart's reign, while others posit that the text records the dedication of the Sharon plain to the temple of said goddess.[9][15] Another in situ inscription, that was recorded on the Bostrenos River bank 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) upstream from the Temple of Eshmun, credits Bodashtart for building water installations to supply the temple; this inscription is dated in his seventh regnal year which indicates that he ruled for at least this period of time.[6][9][8]

Genealogy

Bodashtart was a descendant of Eshmunazar I's dynasty. Eshmunazar's heir was his son Tabnit, who fathered Eshmunazar II from his sister Amoashtart. Tabnit died before the birth of Eshmunazar II; Amoashtart ruled in the interlude until the birth of her son, then was co-regent until he reached adulthood. Bodashtart was the nephew of Tabnit and Amoashtart and acceded to the throne after Eshmunazar II.[7]

Some scholars misidentified Yatonmilk as the father of Bodashtart;[16] this was successfully contested by later epigraphists.[17][18][13]

Eshmunazar I dynasty
Eshmunazar I
TabninAmoashtart?
Eshmunazar IIBodashtart
Yatonmilk

Notes

  1. ^ Yatonmilk is styled by Bodashtart as BN ṢDQ, meaning "true son" or "pious son".[7]

References

  1. ^ Zamora 2007, pp. 100–114.
  2. ^ Leveque, Francis (29 May 2010). "Sidon au Ier millénaire av. J.-C". marine-antique.net (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. ^ Boardman & Lewis 1994, p. 323.
  4. ^ Elayi 2006, p. 31.
  5. ^ Lipiński 1995, p. 135.
  6. ^ a b c "История древнего Востока – финикия в персидское время" [History of the Ancient East – Phoenicia in the Persian]. historic.ru. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e Elayi 2006, p. 5.
  8. ^ a b Xella & López 2004, p. 294.
  9. ^ a b c d Elayi 2006, p. 7.
  10. ^ a b Xella & López 2005, p. 119.
  11. ^ Halpern 2016, p. 19.
  12. ^ Conteneau 1924, pp. 9–23.
  13. ^ a b Xella & López 2005, p. 121.
  14. ^ Halpern 2016, p. 20.
  15. ^ Bonnet 1995, p. 215.
  16. ^ Bordreuil & Gubel 1990, p. 496.
  17. ^ Elayi 2006, pp. 5, 7.
  18. ^ Bonnet 1995, p. 216.

Bibliography

Preceded by King of Sidon
c. 525–515 BC 		Succeeded by
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