Zechariah saw divine watchmen on horses. The horsemen patrolled the earth, and reported back that the “whole earth remains at peace.” (NRSV, Zechariah 1:11) Most scholars take this to mean that the region was relatively peaceful under the rule of the Persian Empire. The Persian king, Darius, showed tolerance to people of religions other than his own, including the Hebrews. It was Darius, after all, who decreed that the Hebrews should rebuild their temple for worship when they returned to their homeland.