POLYBIUS MEETS ABRAHAM VAN HELSING, OR NOT

Darius I stomping on Gaumata

Reading Waterfield's translation of Polybius' Histories and in V.43 he states that "Mithridates claimed to be descended from one of the seven Persian Magus-slayers." This evoked images of some  kind of multi-generational series of beturbaned Van Helsings hunting evil magi through decaying ziggurat-topped underground cities, in other words: I had no idea what this referred to (although, turns out I should've). I found an 1889 translation on the Perseus Digital Library by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh which gives the more normal "seven Persians who killed the Magus" and glossed it with a succinct "the false Smerdis," but even then I still didn't recognize the reference.

[For the curious, the original Greek phrase is: τῶν ἑπτὰ Περσῶν ἑνὸς τῶν ἐπανελομένων τὸν μάγον.]

The unfortunately named Shuckburgh also gives a reference to Herodotus 3.61-82. This passage presents a complicated story with that uniquely Herodotean blend of gravity and the bizarre. Severely truncated, the tale relates how a Magus -- Gaumata -- impersonated Smerdis (Gr. Σμέρδις, OP Bardiya), the brother of Cyrus, and ruled for nearly a year before being killed by a group of seven Persian nobles. It's far more complicated than that, so here's a link to the relevant bit on Perseus. Wikipedia also has some info on the Behistun Inscription which refers to Gaumata. And apparently "Mazda" (a la Ahura Mazda) is Avestan for wisdom, which just makes Miatas even more awesome.

So mystery solved. Although the more interesting mystery of why in heck Waterfield chose to use  "Persian Magus-slayers" isn't. Guess it sounds cool.

Also, Herodotus claims the Persians celebrate a festival called the μαγοφόνια ("massacre of the Magi") which was the "greatest holy day that all Persians alike keep" (ταύτην τὴν ἡμέρην θεραπεύουσι Πέρσαι κοινῇ μάλιστα τῶν ἡμερέων) and "while the festival lasts no Magus may go outdoors."