Saednews: The face attributed to Darius III, the last king of the Achaemenid dynasty, has been reconstructed by a historical research center based on a mosaic of the Battle of Issus between Alexander the Great and Darius III, as well as from coins minted during his reign.
According to a report by Saednews, the photo you see is a reconstructed face of Darius III, the last king of the Achaemenid Empire. But how authentic and close to reality can this face be? How can the face of historical figures, for whom no remains, like a skull, are available, be reconstructed, and based on what variables?
The reconstructed face attributed to Darius III, the last Achaemenid king, has been created by a historical research center from a mosaic of the Battle of Issus, which took place between Alexander the Great and Darius III, and also from coins minted during his reign. The mosaic dates back to around 100 BCE and is currently housed in the Naples Museum in Italy. It is said that this mosaic is a copy of a painting.
Reconstructing the faces of historical figures is a common practice. In 1877, a German anthropologist, Hermann Schaaffhausen, was one of the first people to attempt reconstructing the face of a Paleolithic human from ancient skulls. Some of the most famous historical faces reconstructed to date include Queen Elizabeth, Nero, the Roman Emperor, Octavian Augustus, Caligula, Saint Nicholas (the origin of Santa Claus), and even figures like William Shakespeare.
The face of a 7,000-year-old woman from Tehran and a Sassanid man are among the reconstructed faces in Iran, both carried out by "Mohammadreza Rakhani," an expert at the Research Institute of Archaeology. Based on his experience, Rakhani shared his thoughts with ISNA about the authenticity of the reconstructed face of Darius III and how close it is to reality. He explained that the reconstructed face of Darius III cannot be scientifically accurate, but if the proportions are followed correctly, it can be considered an artistic and beautiful work.
He elaborated that face reconstruction is done digitally, using technology and 3D software that has become widely accessible and is used globally. When discussing the variables involved, Rakhani pointed out two approaches: one where there is access to physical remains like skulls, and another where the reconstruction is based on representations such as coins, statues, or other surviving artwork. The difference lies in whether the evidence comes from field research or written sources, the latter of which may be biased or inaccurate.
He classified the reconstruction of Darius III's face as the second type, stating that no skull or other physical remains of the king were available, and the reconstruction was based solely on images from the mosaic and coins. He emphasized that the mosaic's proportions might not be accurate due to the materials used, such as small pebbles, and that the coin images might also be exaggerated or not fully representative of the king's true likeness.
Rakhani further stressed that unless physical remains like a skull are found and studied, no reconstruction can be entirely accurate. Even in cases where skulls are available, there are still limitations, and the process remains somewhat subjective.
He concluded that while the reconstructed face of Darius III may not be fully accurate, it can be appreciated as an artistic work based on the available materials, but it might not represent the real face of the king.
