PHRAORTES. We have said, after some learned Man, that Phraortes King of the Medes, mention’d by Herodotus, is the same as Arphaxad, who was conquer’d by Nebuchadnezzar, and of whom Mention is made in the Book of Judith. This has prevail’d with us to take Notice of his History in this Work.
After Dejoces, the first King of the Medes, and Founder of Ecbatane, succeeded Phraortes, of whom we are speaking. “ Not contenting himself with the Empire of the Medes, he declared War against the Persians, and was the first that brought them into Subjection to the Medes. Finding himself Master of those two potent and warlike Nations, he subdued the greatest part of the People of Asia, whom he attempted one after another. At last he made War with the Assyrians, whose Capital was Ni-nive, a People that formerly possess’d the Empire of Asia, but then forsaken by their Allies, though still powerful enough to make Head against him. Phraortes carrying the War into their Country in the twenty-second Year of his Reign, was defeated, and perished with the greatest part of his Army. His Successor was his Son Cyaxares.”
This is what Herodotus informs us of Phraortes: And see what the Scripture tells us of Arphaxad: In the twelfth Year of the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned in Ninive the great City, in the Days of Arphaxad, which reigned over the Medes in Ecbatane. And built in Ecbatane Walls round about, &c. Herodotus Alex. p. 520. ascribes the Building of Ecbatane to Dejoces Father of Phraortes; but that is not inconsistent with Phraortes’s continuing to beautify and fortify the City. The Scripture adds; “ After that he boasted of his Power, as being invincible; by the Strength of his Army, and by the Multitude of his Chariots: But Nebuchadnezzar King of the Assyrians, who reigned at Nineve the Great, made War in the twelfth Year of his Reign with Arphaxad, and overcame him in the great Plain of Ragau, near the Euphrates, the Tigris, and the Jadason, in the Country of Arioch King of the Elymeans.” The twelfth Year of Nebuchadnezzar falls, according to our Chronology, in the Year of the World 3347, before Christ 653, before the vulgar Era 657.
The Characters which the Scripture gives to Arphaxad, are the same that Herodotus imputes to Phraortes; he is King of the Medes, subdues several Nations to his Government, is at last subdued himself by Nebuchadnezzar King of Ninive and the Assyrians. The Difference of Names ought not to be any Objection in the Oriental Historians. We know that they almost always differ from the Greeks, in the Names which they give to their Princes. See F. Montfaucon, in his Book concerning the Truth of the Book of Judith, our Preface to the same Book, and for the contrary Opinion, M. Basnage’s Jewish Antiquities, t. 2. p. 252, &c.