Albert Barnes Commentary Daniel 6:1

"It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;" — Daniel 6:1 (ASV)

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom — This evidently refers to the kingdom of Babylon, now united with that of Media and Persia. As this kingdom was now subject and tributary to him, it would be natural for Darius to appoint persons over it in whom he could confide, for the administration of justice, the collection of revenue, and similar duties.

Others, however, suppose that this relates to the whole kingdom of Persia. But since the reference here is mainly to what was the kingdom of Babylon, it is more likely that Babylon is what is particularly alluded to.

Furthermore, it is hardly probable that he would have exalted Daniel, a Jew and a resident in Babylon, to so important a post as the premiership over the entire empire. Nevertheless, given Daniel's position and standing in Babylon, it is not improbable to suppose that under the reign of Darius, he might have occupied a place similar to what he had held under Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar.

In dividing the kingdom into provinces and placing officers over each department, Darius followed the same plan that Xenophon tells us Cyrus implemented for the nations he conquered (Cyrop. viii.): Εδόκει αὐτῷ σατράπας ἤδη πέμπειν ἐπὶ τὰ κατεστραμμένα ἔθνη (Edokei autō satrapas ēdē pempein epi ta katestrammena ethnē) — “It seemed good to him to appoint satraps over the conquered nations.” . Archbishop Ussher (Annals) suggests that the plan was first instituted by Cyrus and was followed at his suggestion. This was a measure of obvious prudence to maintain such an extensive empire in subjection.

An hundred and twenty princes — The word translated “princes” here (אחשׁדרפניא ('ăchash^edar^ep^enayā')) occurs only in Daniel in the Chaldee form. In its Hebrew form, it is found in the book of Esther (Esther 3:12; Esther 8:9; Esther 9:3) and in Ezra (Ezra 8:36), where in Esther and Ezra it is uniformly translated “lieutenants.”

In Daniel (Daniel 3:2–3, 3:27; Daniel 6:1–4, 6:6-7), it is just as uniformly translated “princes.” It is a word of Persian origin and is probably the Hebrew way of pronouncing the Persian word “satrap,” or, as Gesenius supposes, the Persian word was pronounced “ksatrap.” For the etymology of the word, see Gesenius, Lexicon.

The word undoubtedly refers to the Persian satraps—governors or viceroys in the large provinces of the empire who possessed both civil and military powers.

They were officers of high rank, and as representatives of the sovereign, they rivaled his state and splendor. Single parts or subdivisions of these provinces were under inferior officers; the satraps governed whole provinces. The word is translated “satraps” in the Greek and the Latin Vulgate.