Skip to main content

Primary sourceSculpturec. 522-486 BCE

Relief of Darius Offering to Amun-Re and Mut, Hibis Temple

c. 522-486 BCE

A photograph of an ancient Egyptian temple relief showing Darius the Great offering an image of the goddess Maat and gifts to the gods Amun-Re and Mut.

Depicts Darius as pharaoh honouring Egyptian gods, showing his rule over Egypt.

Ask Darius the Great about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Ancient Egyptian temple wall relief in sandstone with traces of paint. Left: a figure in profile with a feathered headdress offering to a seated figure on the right, with offering vessels between them. Right: a seated crowned god and a standing goddess with a tall headdress, with hieroglyphic inscriptions above and a niche with a grille at lower left.
Relief of Darius the Great offering to Amun-Re and Mut, Temple of Hibis, Egypt. Photograph by Roland Unger, 2014.

About this source

What it is

This 2014 photograph shows a sandstone wall relief at the Temple of Hibis in Egypt, with traces of original paint. It depicts Darius the Great in profile wearing a feathered headdress, offering to a seated god and a standing goddess, with offering vessels between them and hieroglyphic inscriptions above.

Why it matters

As ruler of Egypt within the Persian Empire, Darius had himself depicted following Egyptian religious tradition, honouring the gods Amun-Re and Mut. This reveals how Persian emperors used local imagery and religion to present their authority as legitimate to Egyptian subjects.

Look closer

  • Why would a Persian king be shown worshipping Egyptian gods?
  • What can carvings like this tell us about how empires ruled distant lands?
  • What parts of Darius's real power are left out of this religious scene?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Darius the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Darius the Great sources

Meet the AI Darius the Great →
Carved relief on a rock cliff face showing a row of standing figures in fringed robes and tall headdresses, with a winged figure with a crown above them. Inscribed text panels surround the relief. Metal scaffolding is in the foreground.Document

Primary source

Behistun Inscription

Darius the Great · c. 522-486 BC

Photograph of a brown papyrus fragment with black Greek uncial-style handwriting in about twelve lines, with a measuring ruler along the right edge marked in centimetres. The fragment has ragged edges and visible fibres.Book

Secondary source

Histories

Herodotus · c. 440 BCE

Rock-cut tomb facade carved into a cliff face at Naqsh-e Rustam, with a cross-shaped doorway opening, columns, and a carved frieze above; relief panels of mounted figures appear at the lower left. Dry grass lies at the base.Artifact

Primary source

Tomb of Darius I

c. 490 BCE

Ruins of the Apadana at Persepolis: several tall fluted stone columns with ornate carved capitals stand on a stone platform, with scattered column bases, a hill and mountains behind under a hazy sky.Artifact

Primary source

Apadana of Persepolis

Photo of a dark stone statue of a standing figure, headless and missing the arms, wearing a long pleated robe with carved inscriptions down the sides. It stands on a rectangular plinth carved with relief scenes.Sculpture

Primary source

Statue of Darius I

c. 490 BCE

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Darius the Great now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions