8. Similar also in construction and material, though Mt in form, was the ancient Persian crown, for which ^ere is a distinct name in the book of Esther (i, U; "» 17; vi, 8), via^ in», he'ther {diapUt^ which was Jfobtless the ddcarii or aiarU (ddapic or wVofwc), the *ugh cap or tiara so often mentioned by the Greek his-
torians. From the descriptions given of it, this seems to have been a somewhat conical cap, surrounded by a wreath or fold ; and this would suggest a resemblance to fig. 12 (of the first cut, above), which is, in fact, cop- ied from a Parthian or later Persian coin. This one is worthy of very particular attention, because it forms a connecting link between the ancient and modem Oriental crowns, the latter consisting either of a cap, with a fold or turban, variously enriched with lugrettes.
iw
Modem Oriental Crowns.
as this is; or of a stiff cap of cloth, studded with pre- cious stones. It must often occur to the student of Biblical antiquities that the modem usages of the East have more resemblance to the* most ancient than have those which prevailed during that intermediate or classical period in which its peculiar manners and in- stitutions were subject to much extraneous influence from the domination of the Greeks and Romans. So, in the present instance, we are much impressed with the conviction that such head-tires and caps as those represented in the above cut more correctiy represent the regal ** crowns" of the Old Testament than those figured in the first cut, above (with the exception of fig. 12 and the simple diadems) ; which, however, may be taken to represent the style of the crowns which prevailed in and before the time of the New Testa- ment. See Turban.
4. Other Heb. terms rendered "crown" are "nt, zer, a wrecUh or border of gold around the edge of the ark of the covenant (Exod. xxv, 11, etc.) ; and 'lp7IJ, hddkSd', the tcalp or crown of the hunum head (Gien. xlix, 26, etc. ; icopw^^, Bel, 86). There are several words in Scripture for a crown (but not so rendered) besides those mentioned, as *1KD, peir', the head- dress of bridegrooms (Isa. Ixi, 10 ; Bar. v, 2 ; Ezek. xxiv,17), and of women (Isa. Ui, 20); nil-^BX, tt^h^ troth' y a head-dress of great splendor (Isa. xxviii, 5); njjb, IfvyoA', a wreath of flowers (Prov. i, 9; iv, 9) ; snch wreaths were used on fbstal occasions (Isa. xxviii, 1) ; C)*^3X, t$amph% a common tiara or turban (Job xxix, 14 ;■ isa. iii, 28) ; K^a^?, larWa' (" hat," Dan. iii, 21, rather mantie). irififm occurs in the N. T. only once (AcU xiv, 18) fbr the garlands used with victims. In the Byzantine court this word was
CROWN
586
CRUCIFIX
confined to the imperial crown (Du Fresne, Gloss. Gnse. p. 1442). See Garland.
The Jews boast that three crowns were given to them: >l"l*!Pl irS, the crown of the law; nSJlID "IHID, the crown of priesthood ; and H^a^^, the royal crown ; better than all which is 3*313 bd IPS, the crown of a good name (Carpzov, Apparai. Critic, p. 60 ; Otho- nis Lex, Rabh. s. t. Corona). Crowns were so often used symbolically to express honor and power that it is not always safe to infer national usages from the passages in which they occur. Hence we would scarcely conclude &om Ezeli. xziii, 42 that crowns were worn by Jewish females, although that they wore some ornament which might be so called is prob- able from other sources. Mr. Lane {A rabian Nights, i, 424) mentions that until about two centuries ago a kind of crown was worn by Arabian females of wealth and distinction. It was generally a circle of jewelled gold (the lower edge of which was straight, and the upper fancifully heightened to a mere point), sur- mounting the lower part of a dome-shaped cap, with a jewel or some other ornament at the summit It is certain that ** crowns" of this or some similar kind were worn at marriages (Cant, iii, 11 ; Isa. Ixi, 10) ; and It would appear that at feasts and public festiv^ "crowns of rejoicing" were customary. These were probably garlands (Wisd. ii, 8 ; iv, 2 ; Ecclus. i, 11).
With the ancients generally the crown was the sym- bol of victory and reward, it being customary for con- querors to be crowned, as were also victors in the Gre- cian games. From ancient coins and medals we may observe tliat these crowns or wreaths usually consist- ed of leaves of trees, to which were added flowers. The crown worn by the victor in the Olympian games was made of the wild olive ; in the Pythian games, of laurel ; in the Nemean games, of parsley ; and in the Isthmian games [see Corinth], of the pine. In- deed, Claudius Satuminus says there was hardly any plant of which crowns liad not been made. The Ro- mans had several kinds of crowns or wreaths which were bestowed for various services; but the noblest was the civic crovm, given to him who had saved the life of a citizen ; it was made of oak leaves, and was presented by the person who had been saved to his preserver. These were all corruptible, for they began to wither as soon as they were separated fh>m the trees or plucked out of the earth. In opposition to these, there is an incorruptible crown, a crown of life, laid up for those who are faithful unto death (Jas. i, 12 ; 1 Pet. V, 4 ; Rev. ii, 10 ; see Am, Presb. Rev. July, 1863). Pilate's guard platted a crown of thorns, and placed it on the head of Jesus Christ (Matt, xxvii, 29) with an intention to insult him, under the character