In mid-July 330, the Persian king Darius III Codomannus (r.336-330) was killed; this meant the end of the Achaemenid Empire, which was now taken over by the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great (r.334-323). One of the most tantalizing descriptions of Darius' death is the Dynastic Prophecy, which was written on a clay tablet found in Babylon. It is now in the British Museum.

At first sight, this remarkable text appears to document that at least one Babylonian believed that Darius III was not dead and would return victoriously. World history offers many examples of popular leaders who are believed not to have died: a brief catalog would include the miraculously saved king Croesus of Lydia, the last pharaoh of independent Egypt Nectanebo II, king Arthur of the Britons, the German emperor Frederick, and, in our own age, Adolf Hitler and Elvis Presley.

It would be interesting if we could say that Darius also belonged to this exclusive company, and several scholars have believed that the text does indeed prove that Darius was considered to be alive somewhere and would one day return to overthrow the Macedonians.

Unfortunately, there is a long break in the text (line 10) and we are not permitted to identify the king who fits the victorious army in the second part of the text with Darius, as has often been suggested. But if Darius is not the "he" of the second part of the prophecy, another identification has to be made. The words can refer to Alexander the Great, to several native leaders, but also to Seleucus Nicator, who defeated several Greek armies. This may be the most plausible interpretation.

The relevant lines are quoted below in the translation by Bert van der Spek.