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What did Darius I do to support Egyptian religious institutions?
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Darius I
This chromolithograph of a frieze at Susa depicts attendants serving Darius I.
Darius I supported Egyptian religious institutions as part of a strategic effort to secure his rule and win the favor of the local priesthood and learned classes. His actions included:
- Titulary and Cult Support: He assumed the full titulary of an Egyptian king and provided active support to the cults.12
- Temple Construction and Restoration: He built a temple to the god Amon in the Kharga oasis, endowed the temple at Edfu, and carried out restoration work in various other sanctuaries.1
- Financial Support: He improved the condition of temples and restored a portion of their income, which had been reduced under his predecessor.2
- Educational and Legal Initiatives: He empowered Egyptians to reestablish the medical school at the temple of Sais and ordered his satrap to codify Egyptian laws in consultation with native priests, basing them on the traditions of the time of Amasis.12
Due to these efforts, Darius I was remembered in Egyptian tradition as a great benefactor and lawgiver.1