“Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,”
The statement that "This is a copy of the letter that they sent him: 'To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:''' introduces the actual text of the formal accusation, with the salutation establishing the accusers' deference to Persian authority and their geographic location in the Trans-Euphrates region. The formal title and geographic designation indicate bureaucratic professionalism in the letter's composition, following official protocols for petitions addressed to imperial authority. The reference to accusers as "your servants" establishes hierarchical submission to Persian authority and frames their complaint as arising from loyal subjects protecting imperial interests. The formal letter structure indicates that opponents invested significant effort in crafting their accusation strategically, using administrative conventions to enhance their credibility with Persian authorities.
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