In an influential 1925 essay on the word eunuch and related terms, Ernst Maass suggested that Eustathiuss derivation "can or must be laid to rest", and he affirmed the derivation from eunē and ekhein ("guardian of the bed"), without mentioning the other derivation from eunoos and ekhein ("having a well-disposed state of mind"). In Latin, the words eunuchus, spado (Greek: σπάδων spadon), and castratus were used to denote eunuchs. By region and epoch
Ancient Middle East
The four-thousand-year-old Egyptian Execration Texts threaten enemies in Nubia and Asia, specifically referencing "all males, all eunuchs, all women. "Castration was sometimes punitive; under Assyrian law, homosexual acts were punishable by castration. Eunuchs were familiar figures in the Assyrian Empire (ca. 850 until 622 BCE) and in the court of the Egyptian Pharaohs (down to the Lagid dynasty known as Ptolemies, ending with Cleopatra VII, 30 BCE). Eunuchs sometimes were used as regents for underage heirs to the throne, as it seems to be the case for the Neo-Hittite state of Carchemish. Political eunuchism became a fully established institution among the Achamenide Persians. Eunuchs held powerful positions in the Achaemenide court. The eunuch Bagoas (not to be confused with Alexanders Bagoas) was the Vizier of Artaxerxes III and Artaxerxes IV, and was the primary power behind the throne during their reigns, until he was killed by Darius III.Marmon (1995) writes "Mamluk biographies of the eunuchs often praise their appearance with adjectives such as jamil (beautiful), wasim (handsome), and ahsan (the best, most beautiful) or akmal (the most perfect)."
First millennium BCE
Mutakkil-Marduk (8th century BCE): Assyrian chief eunuch, eponym of the year 798 BCE in an Assyrian eponym chronicle. Yariri (8th century BCE): regent of Neo-Hittite Carchemish thought likely to be a eunuch. Sin-shumu-lishir (7th century BCE): Assyrian eunuch who attempted to usurp power in the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Aspamistres or Mithridates (5th century BCE): bodyguard of Xerxes I of Persia, and (with Artabanus) his murderer. Artoxares: an envoy of Artaxerxes I and Darius II of Persia. Bagoas (4th century BCE): prime minister of king Artaxerxes III of Persia, and his assassin (Bagoas is an old Persian word meaning eunuch). Bagoas (4th century BCE): a favorite of Alexander the Great. Influential in changing Alexanders attitude toward Persians and therefore in the kings policy decision to try to integrate the conquered peoples fully into his Empire as loyal subjects. He thereby paved the way for the relative success of Alexanders Seleucid successors and greatly enhanced the diffusion of Greek culture to the East. Batis (4th century BCE): resisted Alexander the Great at the Siege of Gaza. Philetaerus (4th/3rd century BCE): founder of the Attalid dynasty of Pergamum
Zhao Gao (died 210 BCE): favourite of Qin Shihuangdi, who plotted against Li Si. Sima Qian (old romanization Ssu-ma Chien; 2nd/1st century BCE): the first person to have practiced modern historiography – gathering and analyzing both primary and secondary sources to write his monumental history of the Chinese Empire. Ganymedes (1st century BCE): highly capable adviser and general of Cleopatra VIIs sister and rival, Princess Arsinoe.