XERXES :XERXES King, Tyrant, Conqueror…and Mystery Man.


Family Background :Family Background Born c.519BC to DARIUS and ATOSSA Darius was King when Xerxes was born Atossa was daughter of Cyrus the Great Darius had three older sons to another wife, before he was King Xerxes had the most ‘royal’ blood – why? He beat his half-brother Artobazanes to the throne


Succession :Succession Darius may have been governor of Babylon since 498BC Sometime before 486BC, Xerxes was chosen as heir Reliefs at Persepolis show Xerxes, as crown prince, standing behind Darius’ throne Atossa wielded great influence Xerxes became King when Darius died in 486BC


Persian Kingship :Persian Kingship Not divine, but Closely linked to AhuraMazda Owed obedience Absolute monarch Warrior king Owned all land & people Descended from Achaemenes Expected to rule well Delegated administration to nobles


Administration of Persia :Administration of Persia Persia was large, and Xerxes needed help in ruling Officials were chosen from the Royal Family – why? Empire divided into 20+ satrapies Satraps collected tribute, raised troops, dispensed justice, minted coins Governed by Persian law – right of appeal to King Local institutions were usually respected – why?


Egyptian Revolt – 486BC :Egyptian Revolt – 486BC Reasons: Defeat at Marathon Taxation Corruption Removal of skilled workers Xerxes probably led the subjugating force Harsh repression Revolt over by 484BC Installed brother as satrap ‘The Wicked One’


Babylonian Revolts – 484 and 482 :Babylonian Revolts – 484 and 482 1) Led by Bel-shimanni 2) Satrap Zopyrus killed Reasons Heavy taxation Loss of workers Cost of Persian garrison Quickly suppressed – rebel leaders executed Wholescale repression – Euphrates diverted through city, treasures stolen, priests killed Xerxes reduced the political importance of Babylon


Religious Policy :Religious Policy Ahuramazda – supreme deity King through favour of creator god Xerxes declared himself enemy of the daevas – demons or false gods Some evidence he destroyed other cults within Persia – stone horn altars Arta = truth; important concept. How did Xerxes show his devotion to Arta?


Persepolis :Persepolis Xerxes completed his father’s building program at Susa He turned his attention to Persepolis (founded by Darius 515BC) The city occupied him until his death Xerxes made many additions to the Persian capital


Building at Persepolis :Building at Persepolis APADANA STAIRWAYS TO PALACE PALACE OF XERXES HALL OF 100 COLUMNS CENTRAL BUILDING HAREM GATE OF ALL LANDS


Xerxes as King :Xerxes as King King ‘in state’ – with the lotus blossom symbol As ‘Great King’, accompanied by courtiers


Slide 12:Military leader with weapon – on darics Receiving tribute-bearers Linked to Ahuramazda


Invasion of Greece :Invasion of Greece Inherited conflict with Greece from Darius Greatly influenced by Mardonius, who was ambitious to become satrap of new lands He and his mother both wanted him to be a worthy successor to Darius Uncle Artabanus tried to dissuade him Spent years preparing and invaded from north


Greco-Persian Wars :Greco-Persian Wars Shocked by Greek stand at Thermopylae Looted Athens Fooled by Themistocles’ trick at Salamis Watched Salamis from a silver throne Left Greece for Ionia By 465BC Persia was totally defeated in Europe and was being pushed from Turkey


Relationships :Relationships Good terms with family – how do we know? Atossa had ‘immense influence’ on Xerxes Queen Amestris – main wife Divorced disobedient wife Vashti Achaemenes made satrap of Egypt Mardonius – brother in law Megabyzus – b-in-l put down Babylon Revolt Artabanus – regent in 480BC Demeratus – Spartan adviser Queen Artemisia – Ionian adviser and commander


Death :Death Assassinated 465BC Artabanus and Megabyzus led the plot The eunuch Aspamitres let the killers into the bedroom Stabbed Buried 5km from Persepolis in cliff face Artaxerxes killed his brother Darius and took the throne Assassins used Artaxerxes as a puppet king and tried to kill him in 458BC Assassins caught and executed


Impact and Influence :Impact and Influence Ruled for 21 years Great architect and builder Put down revolts and maintained stability in Persia Punished Athens but lost small amount of territory in Ionia Huge influence on Greek culture and pride


Legacy :Legacy Persepolis – magnificent city Provided 21 years of stable government Maintained Persian empire, and even extended it into Thrace, Macedonia, and India


Ancient Representations :Ancient Representations Overwhelmingly negative: Herodotus – violent, unstable, weak, vengeful, noble, occasionally compassionate Aeschylus – cowardly, hasty, weak and loathsome Xenophon – womanising tyrant Aelian – ridiculous figure Cicero – despicable man Jospehus – pious king


Modern Representations :Modern Representations Modern views tend to be more balanced: Peter Green (1996): “Our traditional picture of Xerxes is a caricature, put together from hostile, and faintly contemptuous, Greek propaganda. We see him as a small, blubbering, effeminate Oriental, a cowardly despot ruled by his women and his eunuchs…cruel in victory, spineless in defeat. Persian sources…reveal a very different man. Tall, regal and handsome he stands in the Persepolis reliefs, and his proclamations have a ringing dignity which echoes down the ages”.