Cambyses

Cambyses (or Cambese) is the Greek version of the name of several monarchs of Achaemenid line of ancient Persia. The same name appears as Kambujiya (or perhaps Kambaujiya or Kamboujiya) in old Persian, as Kamboja in the Indian epic Mahabharata, as C-n-b-n-z-y in Aramaic, Kambuzia in Assyrian, Kambythet in Egyptian, Kam-bu-zi-ia in Akkadian, Kan-bu-zi-ia in Elamite, and Kanpuziya in Susian language. It appears to have been a very popular name among ancient Iranians.

Careful review of Old Persian inscriptions and classical writings reveals at least three Cambyses in the dynastic line of Achaemenids.

Cambyses I (Kambujiya I) was an earlier member of the Achaemenid line (7th C BCE). He was probably the son and successor of Teispes of Anshan, who himself was the successor of Achaemenes, the founder of the dynasty. (Herod., VII.II)

Cambyses II (Kambujiya II) was a son of Cyrus I, and ruled Anshan from 600 to 559 BCE. He was a Persian king of good family, to whom king Astyages of Media, had married his daughter Mandane. The issue of this union was Cyrus II (Herod., I, 46, 107).

Cambyses III (Kambujiya III) was son and successor of Cyrus II (or Cyrus the Great) and had ruled Persia from 530 to 522 BCE. He is famous for his conquest of Egypt, and the havoc he wrought upon that country.

Noted scholars like Dr. C. Lassen, Dr. S. Levi, Dr. E. Kuhn, Dr. J. Charpentier, Dr H. W. Bailey, Dr. M. Witzel, and numerous others have linked the royal name Kambujiya or Kambaujiya of the Achaemenid line with the ethnic name Kamboja of the ancient Sanskrit/Pali texts and of king Ashoka's Rock Edicts. Numerous ancient sources attest that the land of Kambojas was center of Iranian civilization which is also evident from the Mazdean religious customs of the ancient Kambojas as also from the Avestan language they spoke. The Kambojas, in turn, seem to have given their name to the modern nation of Cambodia.

See also the following for comparison:

History of Iran

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