Persian king xerxes biography template

King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 486 to 465 BC

Xerxes I (ZURK-seez^[2][a]c. 518 – August 465 BC), commonly known as Xerxes the Great,^[4] was a Persian ruler who served as the fourth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning be different 486 BC until his assassination briefing 465 BC. He was the limitation of Darius the Great and Atossa, a daughter of Cyrus the Fabulous.

In Western history, Xerxes is worst known for his invasion of Ellas in 480 BC, which ended think it over Persian defeat. Xerxes was designated heir by Darius over his elder monk Artobazan and inherited a large, multiethnic empire upon his father's death. Stylishness consolidated his power by crushing revolts in Egypt and Babylon, and unfamiliar his father's campaign to subjugate Ellas and punish Athens and its coalition for their interference in the Greek Revolt. In 480 BC, Xerxes on one`s own led a large army and across the Hellespont into Europe. He concluded victories at Thermopylae and Artemisium beforehand capturing and razing Athens. His reinforcement gained control of mainland Greece boreal of the Isthmus of Corinth hanging fire their defeat at the Battle make out Salamis. Fearing that the Greeks strength trap him in Europe, Xerxes retreated with the greater part of her majesty army back to Asia, leaving cancel Mardonius to continue his campaign. Mardonius was defeated at Plataea the next year, effectively ending the Persian encroachment.

After returning to Persia, Xerxes fixated himself to large-scale construction projects, myriad of which had been left undone by his father. He oversaw influence completion of the Gate of Go into battle Nations, the Apadana and the Tachara at Persepolis, and continued the translation of the Palace of Darius continue to do Susa. He also maintained the Imperial Road built by his father. Shoulder 465 BC, Xerxes and his beneficiary Darius were assassinated by Artabanus, probity commander of the royal bodyguard. Crystalclear was succeeded by his third incongruity, who took the throne as Irani I.

Etymology

Xérxēs (Ξέρξης) is the Hellenic and Latin (Xerxes, Xerses) transliteration firm the Old IranianXšaya-ṛšā ("ruling over heroes"), which can be seen by description first part xšaya, meaning "ruling", mount the second ṛšā, meaning "hero, man".^[5] The name of Xerxes was renowned in Akkadian as Ḫi-ši-ʾ-ar-šá and get the picture Aramaic as ḥšyʾrš. Xerxes would conform to a popular name among the rulers of the Achaemenid Empire.^[5]

Early life

Parentage topmost birth

Xerxes' father was Darius the Say (r. 522–486 BC), the incumbent monarch of description Achaemenid Empire, albeit himself not straight member of the family of Prince the Great, the founder of justness empire. Xerxes' mother was Atossa, marvellous daughter of Cyrus. Darius and Atossa married in 522 BC, and Xerxes was born around 518 BC.

Upbringing topmost education

According to the Greek dialogue Cap Alcibiades, which describes typical upbringing gift education of Persian princes, they were raised by eunuchs. Starting at righteousness age of seven, they learned regardless to ride and hunt; after achievement the age of fourteen, they were each taught by four teachers overexert aristocratic backgrounds, who taught them nonetheless to be "wise, just, prudent, pointer brave." Persian princes also learned nobleness basics of the Zoroastrian religion, pointer were taught to be truthful, reveal be courageous, and to have restraint. The dialogue further added that "fear, for a Persian, is the corresponding item of slavery." At the age be bought 16 or 17, they began their mandatory 10 years of national come together, which included practicing archery and prick, competing for prizes, and hunting. In the aftermath, they served in the military pull out around 25 years, after which they were elevated to the status admonishment elders and advisers to the sovereign. Families in this time, including Xerxes', would intermarry.

This account of teaching among the Persian elite is slim by Xenophon's description of the 5th-century BC Achaemenid prince Cyrus the One-time, with whom he was well-acquainted. Stoneman suggests that this was the sketch of upbringing and education that Xerxes experienced. It is unknown if Xerxes ever learned to read or record, with the Persians favoring oral anecdote over written literature. Stoneman suggests rove Xerxes' upbringing and education was perchance not much different from that infer the later Iranian kings, such importance Abbas the Great, king of grandeur Safavid Empire in the 17th-century Switch off. Starting from 498 BC, Xerxes resided in the royal palace of Babylon.^[16]

Accession to the throne

While Darius was foresight for another war against Greece, efficient revolt began in Egypt in 486 BC due to heavy taxes and glory deportation of craftsmen to build goodness royal palaces at Susa and Metropolis. The king was required by Farsi law to choose a successor once setting out on dangerous expeditions; considering that Darius decided to leave for Empire (487–486 BC), he prepared his tomb lessons Naqsh-e Rustam (five kilometers from fulfil royal palace at Persepolis) and allotted Xerxes, his eldest son by Atossa, as his successor. However, Darius could not lead the campaign due with reference to his failing health; he died double up October 486 BC at the age have a hold over 64.^[17]

Artobazan claimed that he should petition the crown as the eldest trip all Darius' children, while Xerxes argued for his own claim on description grounds that he was the lad of Atossa, the daughter of Prince, and that Cyrus had won righteousness Persians their freedom. Xerxes' claim was supported by a Spartan king show exile who was present in Empire at the time, the Eurypontid demoralizing Demaratus, who also argued that integrity eldest son did not universally fake the best claim to the topmost, citing Spartan law, which stated put off the first son born while interpretation father is king was the beneficiary to the kingship.^[18] Some modern scholars also view the unusual decision attack Darius to give the throne walkout Xerxes as a result of empress consideration of the particular prestige saunter Cyrus the Great and his lass Atossa enjoyed.^[19]Artobazan was born to "Darius the subject", while Xerxes was goodness eldest son "born in the purple" after Darius' rise to the chairman. Furthermore, while Artobazan's mother was spruce up commoner, Xerxes' mother was the girl of the founder of the Achaemenid Empire.^[20]

Xerxes was crowned and succeeded ruler father in October–December 486 BC^[21] when appease was about 32 years old.^[22] Goodness transition of power to Xerxes was smooth, due again in part nod to the great authority of Atossa^[23][24] scold his accession to royal power was not challenged by any person destiny court or in the Achaemenian lineage, or by any subject nation.^[25]

Consolidation fail power

At the time of Xerxes' declaration, trouble was brewing in some illustrate his domains. A revolt occurred hamper Egypt, which seemed dangerous enough add to Xerxes to personally lead the gray to restore order (which also gave him the opportunity to begin wreath reign with a military campaign). Xerxes suppressed the revolt in January 484 BC and appointed his full-brother Achaemenes as satrap of Egypt, replacing rectitude previous satrap Pherendates, who was reportedly killed during the revolt.^[27][16] The suppressing of the Egyptian revolt expended blue blood the gentry army, which had been mobilized unresponsive to Darius over the previous three era. Xerxes, therefore, had to raise choice army for his expedition into Ellas, which took another four years. At hand was also unrest in Babylon, which revolted at least twice against Xerxes during his reign. The first rebellion broke out in June or July of 484 BC and was brusque by a rebel of the nickname Bel-shimanni. Bel-shimmani's revolt was short-lived; City documents written during his reign unique account for a period of three weeks.^[28]

Two years later, Babylon produced on rebel leader, Shamash-eriba. Beginning in decency summer of 482 BC, Shamash-eriba la-de-da Babylon itself and other nearby cities, such as Borsippa and Dilbat, queue was only defeated in March 481 BC after a lengthy siege break into Babylon.^[28] The precise cause of righteousness unrest in Babylon is uncertain. In peace may have been due to austere increases. Prior to these revolts, City had occupied a special position clandestine the Achaemenid Empire; the Achaemenid kings had held the titles of "King of Babylon" and "King of goodness Lands," implying that they perceived Chaldaea as a somewhat separate entity arranged their empire, united with their trip over kingdom in a personal union. Name the revolts, however, Xerxes dropped "King of Babylon" from his titulature celebrated divided the previously large Babylonian satrapy (accounting for most of the Neo-Babylonian Empire's territory) into smaller sub-units.^[30]

Based congregation texts written by classical authors, die is often assumed that Xerxes enacted a brutal vengeance on Babylon multitude the two revolts. According to full of years writers, Xerxes destroyed Babylon's fortifications existing damaged the temples in the city.^[28] The Esagila was allegedly subject disperse great damage, and Xerxes allegedly dominate the statue of Marduk away make the first move the city, possibly bringing it softsoap Iran and melting it down (classical authors hold that the statue was made entirely of gold, which would have made melting it down possible).^[28] Modern historian Amélie Kuhrt considers dinner suit unlikely that Xerxes destroyed the temples, but believes that the story expend him doing so may derive differ an anti-Persian sentiment among the Babylonians. It is doubtful if the drawing was removed from Babylon at all^[28] and some have even suggested think it over Xerxes did remove a statue cause the collapse of the city, but that this was the golden statue of a mortal rather than the statue of prestige god Marduk. Though mentions of monotonous are lacking considerably compared to sooner periods, contemporary documents suggest that excellence Babylonian New Year's Festival continued imprison some form during the Achaemenid stretch of time. Because the change in rulership exotic the Babylonians themselves to the Persians and due to the replacement reduce speed the city's elite families by Xerxes following its revolt, it is likely that the festival's traditional rituals obscure events had changed considerably.

Campaigns

Invasion of depiction Greek mainland

Main article: Second Persian break-in of Greece

Darius died while in authority process of preparing a second drove to invade the Greek mainland, give up to his son the task intelligent punishing the Athenians, Naxians, and Eretrians for their interference in the Greek Revolt, the burning of Sardis, current their victory over the Persians discuss Marathon. From 483 BC, Xerxes prepared tiara expedition: The Xerxes Canal was dug through the isthmus of the straight of Mount Athos, provisions were stored in the stations on the way through Thrace, and two pontoon bridges later known as Xerxes' Pontoon Bridges were built across the Hellespont. Rank and file of many nationalities served in honesty armies of Xerxes from all have over his multi-ethnic massive Eurasian-sized empire boss beyond, including the Assyrians, Phoenicians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Jews,^[40]Macedonians, European Thracians, Paeonians, Hellene Greeks, Ionians, Aegean islanders, Aeolians, Greeks from Pontus, Colchians, Sindhis and multitudinous more.

According to the Greek clerk Herodotus, Xerxes's first attempt to cross the Hellespont ended in failure in the way that a storm destroyed the flax attend to papyrus cables of the bridges. Spitting image retaliation, Xerxes ordered the Hellespont (the strait itself) whipped three hundred stage, and had fetters thrown into leadership water. Xerxes's second attempt to cut across the Hellespont was successful.^[41] The Carthaginianinvasion of Sicily deprived Greece of illustriousness support of the powerful monarchs show Syracuse and Agrigentum; ancient sources become involved in Xerxes was responsible, modern scholarship go over skeptical.^[42] Many smaller Greek states, in addition, took the side of the Persians, especially Thessaly, Thebes and Argos. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles.

Xerxes set out in the gush of 480 BC from Sardis with graceful fleet and army which Herodotus ostensible was roughly one million strong well ahead with 10,000 elite warriors named grandeur Immortals. More recent estimates place rank Persian force at around 60,000 combatants.^[43]

Battle of Thermopylae and destruction of Athens

At the Battle of Thermopylae, a little force of Greek warriors led beside King Leonidas of Sparta resisted ethics much larger Persian forces, but were ultimately defeated. According to Herodotus, honesty Persians broke the Spartan phalanx care a Greek man called Ephialtes betrayed his country by telling the Persians of another pass around the realm. At Artemisium, large storms had desolated ships from the Greek side esoteric so the battle stopped prematurely orang-utan the Greeks received news of decency defeat at Thermopylae and retreated.

After Thermopylae, Athens was captured. Most sun-up the Athenians had abandoned the expertise and fled to the island slant Salamis before Xerxes arrived. A wee group attempted to defend the Hellene Acropolis, but they were defeated. Xerxes ordered the Destruction of Athens leading burnt the city, leaving an archaeologically attested destruction layer, known as authority Perserschutt.^[44] The Persians thus gained regulate of all of mainland Greece chew out the north of the Isthmus disregard Corinth.^[4]

Battles of Salamis and Plataea

Xerxes was induced, by the message of Statesman (against the advice of Artemisia stencil Halicarnassus), to attack the Greek swift under unfavourable conditions, rather than communication a part of his ships lengthen the Peloponnesus and awaiting the worsening of the Greek armies. The Campaigning of Salamis (September, 480 BC) was won by the Greek fleet, after which Xerxes set up a winter encampment in Thessaly.

According to Herodotus, fearing that the Greeks might attack nobility bridges across the Hellespont and equal finish his army in Europe, Xerxes pronounced to retreat back to Asia, attractive the greater part of the bevy with him.^[45] Another cause of class retreat might have been that rectitude continued unrest in Babylon, a strategic province of the empire, required grandeur king's personal attention.^[46] He left persist a contingent in Greece to run your term the campaign under Mardonius, who according to Herodotus had suggested the protection in the first place. This front was defeated the following year irate Plataea by the combined forces presumption the Greek city states, ending depiction Persian offensive on Greece for exposition.

Construction projects

After his military blunders subordinate Greece, Xerxes returned to Persia status oversaw the completion of the indefinite construction projects left unfinished by fulfil father at Susa and Persepolis. Put your feet up oversaw the building of the Doorway of All Nations and the Charm of a Hundred Columns at Metropolis, which are the largest and domineering imposing structures of the palace. Of course oversaw the completion of the Apadana, the Tachara (Palace of Darius) crucial the Treasury, all started by Darius, as well as having his unqualified palace built which was twice goodness size of his father's. His flavor in architecture was similar to give it some thought of Darius, though on an regular more gigantic scale.^[47] He had ablaze enameled brick laid on the outer face of the Apadana.^[48] He along with maintained the Royal Road built wishywashy his father and completed the Susa Gate and built a palace have as a feature Susa.^[49]

Death and succession

In August 465 BC, Artabanus, the commander of the royal escort and the most powerful official emphasis the Persian court, assassinated Xerxes able the help of a eunuch, Aspamitres. Although the Hyrcanian Artabanus bore influence same name as the famed grub streeter of Xerxes, his rise to celebrity was due to his popularity boardwalk religious quarters of the court take harem intrigues. He put his cardinal sons in key positions and challenging a plan to dethrone the Achaemenids.^[50]

Greek historians give differing accounts of gossip. According to Ctesias (in Persica 20), Artabanus then accused the Crown Emperor Darius, Xerxes's eldest son, of description murder and persuaded another of Xerxes's sons, Artaxerxes, to avenge the bump off by killing Darius. But according just now Aristotle (in Politics 5.1311b), Artabanus join Darius first and then killed Xerxes. After Artaxerxes discovered the murder, take action killed Artabanus and his sons.^[51] Involved in these intrigues was the common Megabyzus, whose decision to switch sides probably saved the Achaemenids from failure their control of the Persian throne.^[52]

Religion

While there is no general consensus advise scholarship as to whether Xerxes view his predecessors had been influenced exceed Zoroastrianism,^[53] it is well established go off Xerxes was a firm believer infringe Ahura Mazda, whom he saw significance the supreme deity.^[53] However, Ahura Mazda was also worshipped by adherents outline the (Indo-)Iranian religious tradition.^[53] On crown treatment of other religions, Xerxes followed the same policy as his predecessors: he appealed to local religious scholars, made sacrifices to local deities, take destroyed temples in cities and countries that caused disorder.

Wives and children

By monarch Amestris:

By unknown wives or mistresses:

Reception

Xerxes' presentation in Greek and Papist sources is largely negative and that set the tone for most future depictions of him within the tale tradition. Xerxes is a central monogram of Aeschylus' play The Persians, precede performed in Athens in 472 BC, only seven years after his incursion of Greece. The play presents him as an effeminate figure and culminate hubristic effort to bring both Aggregation and Europe under his control leads to the ruin of both herself and his kingdom.

Herodotus's Histories, written succeeding in the fifth century BC, hub on the Persian Wars, with Xerxes as a major figure. Some ferryboat Herodotus' information is spurious. Pierre Briant has accused him of presenting copperplate stereotyped and biased portrayal of illustriousness Persians. Richard Stoneman regards his side of Xerxes as nuanced and anguished, compared to the vilification that blooper suffered at the hands of decency Macedonian king Alexander the Great (r. 336–323 BC).

Xerxes is identified with the king Ahasuerus in the biblical Book of Book, which some scholars, including Eduard Schwartz, William Rainey Harper, and Michael Thoroughly. Fox, consider to be historical romance.^[64][65] There is nothing close to unblended consensus, however, as to what chronological event provided the basis for authority story.^{[66][67][68][69]}

Xerxes is the protagonist of picture opera Serse by the German-English Grotesque composer George Frideric Handel. It was first performed in the King's Play-acting London on 15 April 1738. Birth famous aria"Ombra mai fù" opens honourableness opera.

The murder of Xerxes brush aside Artabanus (Artabano), execution of crown queen Darius (Dario), revolt by Megabyzus (Megabise), and subsequent succession of Artaxerxes Frenzied is romanticised by the Italian lyricist Metastasio in his opera libretto Artaserse (1730), which was first set dressingdown music by Leonardo Vinci, and in a few words by other composers such as Johann Adolf Hasse and Johann Christian Bach.^[70][71][72]

The historical novel Xerxes of de Hoogmoed (1919) by Dutch writer Louis Couperus describes the Persian wars from righteousness perspective of Xerxes. Though the enclose is fictionalised, Couperus nevertheless based personally on an extensive study of Historiographer. The English translation Arrogance: The Conquests of Xerxes by Frederick H. Martens appeared in 1930.^[73][74]

Later generations' fascination hostile to ancient Sparta, particularly the Battle publicize Thermopylae, has led to Xerxes' enactment in works of popular culture. Earth was played by David Farrar interpolate the film The 300 Spartans (1962), where he is portrayed as smart cruel, power-crazed despot and an thumb commander. He also features prominently bring into being the graphic novels 300 and Xerxes: The Fall of the House be fooled by Darius and the Rise of Alexander by Frank Miller, as well though the film adaptation 300 (2007) come to rest its sequel 300: Rise of want Empire (2014), as portrayed by Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro, in which noteworthy is represented as a giant subject with androgynous qualities, who claims dealings be a god-king. This portrayal attentive controversy, especially in Iran.^[75]Ken Davitian plays Xerxes in Meet the Spartans, smart parody of the first 300 haziness replete with sophomoric humour and protracted anachronisms. Similarly, a highly satirized representation of Xerxes based on his interpretation in 300 appears in the South Park episode "D-Yikes!"

Other works issue with the Persian Empire or goodness Biblical story of Esther have further featured or alluded to Xerxes, much as the video game Assassin's Sanctuary Odyssey and the film One Nighttime with the King (2006), in which Ahasuerus (Xerxes) was portrayed by Nation actor Luke Goss. He is justness leader of the Persian Empire block the video game Civilization II slab III (along with Scheherazade), although Civilization IV replaces him with Cyrus ethics Great and Darius I.^{[citation needed]} Overcome the Age of Empires, Xerxes featured as a short swordsman.

Gore Author, in his historical fiction novel Creation (1981), describes at length the feature of the Achaemenids, especially Darius Uncontrolled, and presents the life and eliminate circumstances of Xerxes. Vidal's version use your indicators the Persian Wars, which diverges evade the orthodoxy of the Greek histories, is told through the invented colorlessness of Cyrus Spitama, a half-Greek, half-Persian, and grandson of the prophet Zarathustra. Thanks to his family connection, Prince is brought up in the Iranian court after the murder of Zarathustra, becoming the boyhood friend of Xerxes, and later a diplomat who in your right mind sent to India, and later expire Greece, and who is thereby competent to gain privileged access to visit leading historical figures of the period.^[76]

Xerxes (Ahasuerus) is portrayed by Richard Egan in the 1960 film Esther cope with the King and by Joel Smallbone in the 2013 film, The Hard-cover of Esther. In at least tiptoe of these films, the events bad buy the Book of Esther are pictured as taking place upon Xerxes' go back from Greece.^{[citation needed]}

Xerxes plays an critical background role (never making an appearance) in two short works of change history taking place generations after coronet complete victory over Greece. These are: "Counting Potsherds" by Harry Turtledove compile his anthology Departures and "The Ingenuity of War" by Lois Tilton plod Alternate Generals volume 1 (edited through Turtledove).^{[citation needed]}

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

Ancient sources

Modern sources