Magian priests, to whom he was well known, and on whom he mainly depended for support, if his imposture should be detected.  These priests must have desired a change of the national religion, and to effect this must have been the true aim and object of the revolution.  But it was necessary to proceed with the utmost caution.  An open proclamation that Magism was to supersede Zoroastrianism would have seemed a strange act in an Achaemenian prince, and could scarcely have failed to arouse doubts which might easily terminate in discovery.  The Magian brothers shrank from affronting this peril, and resolved, before approaching it, to obtain for the new government an amount of general popularity which would make its overthrow in fair fight difficult.  Accordingly the new reign was inaugurated by a general remission of tribute and military service for the space of three years—­a measure which was certain to give satisfaction to all the tribes and nations of the Empire, except the Persians.  Persia Proper was at all times exempt from tribute, and was thus, so far, unaffected by the boon granted, while military service was no doubt popular with the ruling nation, for whose benefit the various conquests were effected.  Still Persia could scarcely take umbrage at an inactivity which was to last only three years, while to the rest of the Empire the twofold grace accorded must have been thoroughly acceptable.

Further to confirm his uncertain hold upon the throne, the Pseudo-Smerdis took to wife all the widows of his predecessor.  This is a practice common in the East; and there can be no doubt that it gives a new monarch a certain prestige in the eyes of his people.  In the present case, however, it involved a danger.  The wives of the late king were likely to be acquainted with the person of the king’s brother; Atossa, at any rate, could not fail to know him intimately.  If the Magus allowed them to associate together freely, according to the ordinary practice, they would detect his imposture and probably find a way to divulge it.  He therefore introduced a new system into the seraglio.  Instead of the free intercourse one with another which the royal consorts had enjoyed previously, he established at once the principle of complete isolation.  Each wife was assigned her own portion of the palace; and no visiting of one wife by another was permitted.  Access to them from without was altogether forbidden, even to their nearest relations; and the wives were thus cut off wholly from the external world, unless they could manage to communicate with it by means of secret messages.  But precautions of this kind, though necessary, were in themselves suspicious; they naturally suggested an inquiry into their cause and object.  It was a possible explanation of them that they proceeded from an extreme and morbid jealousy; but the thought could not fail to occur to some that they might be occasioned by the fear of detection.