Nehemiah 2:9 (ANIV)
So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
DRAWING NOTES:
TIME OF DAY:
Unspecified in the Bible narrative. I have set this scene at mid day.
LIGHTING NOTES:
The sun (high in the sky) illuminates this scene, casting shadows below and behind Figures and objects.
CHARACTERS PRESENT:
From left to right (foreground): 3 cavalrymen on (2 on horseback, 1 standing by his horse beckoning his fellows in through the gate), Nehemiah, the governor of this particular fort/town, a little man in green (the governor’s aide) & two soldier bodyguards with spears, escorting the governor.
In the background, 2 soldiers on the wall, 1 angry looking soldier walking up some stairs towards the others.
RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:
In this picture we can see Nehemiah handing over a letter to a governor of the Trans-Euphrates region of the Persian empire. Notice that the cross-looking horse behind him is nudging Nehemiah with its nose to encourage him to hand the letter over!
Nehemiah's first mission to Jerusalem took place between 445 and 443 B.C. (13 years after Ezra) which was in the middle of the Achaemenid era (c. 550 – 330 B.C. ) of Persian history, founded by Cyrus the Great.
The Achaemenid era is also known as the Persian empire; based in modern-day Iran, it was the largest empire by that point in history, spanning a total of 2.1 million square miles (5.5 million square kilometres).
Notice that I had originally intended to show Nehemiah meeting the governor at the city gate, with some of the city walls behind the figures. Many more cavalrymen featured in this version of the scene also. In the end I decided that a scene inside the walled city was more likely... after all, I can’t imagine an important man like a governor going out his own city gates to meet Nehemiah on the road!
I did some research to find out about ancient Persian costume & discovered that soldiers seem to have worn quite brightly coloured clothing. The images I have seen show soldiers in padded tunics (which would offer some protection to them in battle). They wore trousers that look very similar to those we wear today. Being a nation who relied on horseback riding, almost all Persians seem to have preferred wearing trousers, which enabled riding so much more easily than if they wore longer robes. Persian shoes seem to have a pointed, upturned tip.
I decided that the governor might wear more elaborate clothing, of brighter colour, and opted for him to wear a yellow tunic top, the colour of which is also reflected in the spear pennants of his body guards. In ancient times, people’s wealth, position and status was often demonstrated in the clothing that they wore, so clearly this important man would be “dressed to impress”! [1]
An article (see link below) on Wikipedia can identify and name some of the clothing worn in Persia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_clothing
The Persians rode horses, covering them with an ornate saddle blanket, as shown in my drawing. Interestingly, the Persian cavalrymen at this time would have ridden without stirrups (as shown in my drawing), since these items had not yet been invented. [2]
Notice that Nehemiah is handing over king Artaxerxes I’s letter to the governor. At this time in history, letters would not have been made of paper [3] , but typically would have been clay tablets, inscribed by stylus, and then baked to preserve the writing as a permanent record. This particular letter (in Nehemiah’s hand) has a wooden surround, overlaid with purple silk, complete with the king’s gold seal of authority.
The title "Governor of Trans-Euphrates" refers to a provincial official in the Persian Empire, responsible for overseeing the region west of the Euphrates River. This area, known as "Beyond the River" in some translations, included territories such as Judah, Samaria, and other neighboring regions. The role of the governor was crucial in maintaining Persian control and implementing imperial policies in these territories.
The position of Governor of Trans-Euphrates is mentioned in several books of the Bible, particularly in the context of the post-exilic period when the Jewish people were returning from Babylonian captivity to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. One notable governor mentioned in the Bible is Tattenai, who appears in the Book of Ezra.
Historical Context
The Persian Empire, under rulers such as Cyrus the Great and Darius I, was known for its administrative efficiency and tolerance of local customs and religions. The empire was divided into several satrapies or provinces, each governed by a satrap or governor. The Governor of Trans-Euphrates was responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining order, and ensuring loyalty to the Persian king.
The position required balancing the interests of the local populations with the demands of the empire. Governors like Tattenai had to navigate complex political and social dynamics, as they dealt with diverse groups, including the returning Jewish exiles, Samaritans, and other local inhabitants.
[Source: biblehub.com/topical/g/governor_of_trans-euphrates.htm]
[1]
An interesting article on Achaemenid era (c. 550 – 330 B.C.) clothing can be read here:
www.craftestan.co.uk/persian-luxury-clothing-in-the-ancie...
[2]
“Saddles were first developed and created as early as around 800 B.C.. The earliest saddles were probably little more than pads placed on the backs of horses, but over time, they evolved into more complex pieces of tack. The first effective stirrup most likely appeared about 1,000 years later, around 200-300 A.D. It is believed that the stirrup was invented in Asia, though the exact location is unknown. No one really recognizes who produced the stirrup or even where the inventor lives in Asia. The stirrup was a game-changer for riding, as it allowed riders to stay on their horses even during fast movements or rough terrain.”
[Source: www.cavaletticollection.co.uk/news/post/a-brief-history-o...]
[3]
The birth of paper, as we know it today, took place under the Chinese Han Dynasty in AD 105. Ts'ai Lun, a court official, invented a papermaking process which primarily used rags (textile waste) as the raw material with which to make paper.
[Source: www.cepi.org/ad-105-china-birthplace-of-paper/]
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