The Gentile Times Reconsidered Chronology Christ

386 THE GENTILE TIMES RECONSIDERED
contradicts himself several times in this narrative, which shows
that his information on the subject cannot be trusted. (On this, see
the Cambridge Ancient History, V, 1992, p. 14.)
But even if Themistocles really may have met Artaxerxes, there is
nothing to show that this occurred in the 470’s. There is no
evidence whatsoever in support of the claim that Themistocles died
in 471/70 BC. None of the sources referred to by the Society says
so, and some of them, including Plutarch, clearly show that he died
much later, in about 459 BC. (Plutarch's Lives, XXXI:2–5) A
considerable time passed after the attempt to defame Themistocles
in Athens in the archonship of Praxiergus (471/70 BC) until his
interview with Artaxerxes (or Xerxes). It took several attempts
before the enemies of Themistocles succeeded and forced him to
flee, first from Athens and finally from Greece. Cambridge Ancient
History (Vol. 5, pp. 62ff.) dates this flight to 569 BC. He first fled to
some friends in Asia Minor, where he stayed for some time. The
Society quotes Diodorus Siculus in support of the 471/70 date for
the beginning of the defamation of Themistocles, but avoids to
mention Diodorus’ statement that, on Themistocles’ arrival in Asia
Minor, Xerxes was still on the throne in Persia! (Diodorus Siculus,
XI:54–59) This, of course, conflicts with Thucydides’ statement
that Themistocles’ letter from Asia Minor was sent to Artaxerxes.
After some time, evidently after some years, in Asia Minor,
Themistocles finally went to Persia. There he first spent one year
studying the language before his meeting with the king. This
meeting may have occured toward the end of 465 BC or early in
464 BC. As historian A. T. Olmstead argues, Xerxes may very well
have been on the throne when Themistocles arrived in Persia, but
may have died shortly afterwards, so that Themistocles, after his
year of learning the language, met Artaxerxes. In this way the
conflicting statements by the ancient historians may at least
partially be harmonized.
After his meeting with the Persian king, Themistocles settled in the
city of Magnesia, where he lived on for some years before he died.
(Plutarch's Lives, XXXI:2–5) It is completely impossible, therefore,
to date his death to 471/70 BC, as done by the Watch Tower
Society.
3. The two tablets dated to years ”50” and ”51” of
Artaxerxes