Biography of Xerxes

Born in c. 519 BC, of the parents power Darius and his wife Atossa came Xerxes. He was raised in the lavish opulence of an eastern court and became the designated replacement to his fathers thr superstar in which he was to influence over the greatest empire of his time for 21 years. The Persian Empire. He was non the out of dateest of Darius sons merely still became the heir over his oldest brother Artabazanes. thither were two main reasons for this, His mother Atossa was the daughter of the great Cyrus ma fagot Xerxes his grandson.According to Herodotus Atossa would permit used her influence to get her son on the thr unity. Herodotus parole 7 section-3. Xerxes stated superior claim to the throne for the same reasons. Spartan King Demaratus who was exiled from Sparta and in the Persian court at the time, suggested that they use the Spartan use of goods and services to elect a poove. That is that the son who is born first while the faggot sits on the throne will be the he ir no outlet how troopsy sons in that respect were before the king became king Herodotus book 7 section-3.This made Xerxes the rightful heir how ever he describes his accession himself on limestone foundation block at Persepolis My Father was Darius Darius father was Hystaspes by annexuce Hystaspes father was Arsames by name saith Xerxes the King Other sons of Darius there were, (but)- consequently unto Ahura-Mazda was the desire- Darius my father made me the greatest after himself. When my father Darius went away from the throne, by will of Ahura-Mazda I became king on my fathers throne. So to suspensor decriminalize his claim to the throne, Xerxes uses Ahura-Mazda.In another inscription he supports himself by locution I am Xerxes, the great king, king of king, king of lands containing many men, king in this great earth far and wide, son of Darius the king, an Achaemid, a Persian, son of a Persian, an Aryan, of Aryan seed. Here he emphasises that he an Achaemenid to a dd weighting on his claim to the throne. According to A. T. Olmstead, Xerxes gained administrative experience by active in the royal Babylonian palace and being open to rule Babylon. though there is not enough manifest to support this. rough historians say that Darius and Xerxes shared co-regency, but there is not enough evidence to support this either. The evidence we do study on his background and archaeozoic life before he became king is that his father was a truster in the god Ahura Mazda and therefore a follower of Zoastrianism. We know that Xerxes carried this on. As far as we know the only real education match to Herodotus that Persian boys were taught was to Ride, to use the bow, and to speak the truth Herodotus book 1 pg. 137.The or so important and significant things in Xerxes life that contributed to his assent was being the grandson of the greatest king Persia had seen and his mother being that kings daughter and able to use her influence. Xerxes became the kin g of the Persian Empire in 485BC. In his 25 years of curb he achieved many things. He was certainly not a purposeless ruler and her proved this in the early years of his govern with the prompt crushing of the Babylonian and Egyptian revolts. Even as a refreshful king he portrayed traits of a strong and strict monarch. He sent an army against the Egyptian rebels and decisively crushed them. Herodotus book 7 section-7.The roughly famous expedition Xerxes was conducted as his attempt to invade Greece. This is seen to most people as a failure as the Greeks defeated him. Though it can also be looked upon as an achievement because although he failed to dig the entire country into his empire he still managed to destroy A then(prenominal)s, which was one of his main priorities in the first place. I will not reprieve until I fill taken Athens and burnt it to the ground, in strike back for the injury in which the Athenians without provocation did to me and my Father Herodotus book 7 section-8-b.So his destruction of Athens can be looked upon as an achievement. Xerxes was by no means a poor military conductor as he shows good management and organisational skills in the way he amasses and upholds his army. He had intellectual and careful planning when it came to invading and according to Cameron and Lawless, Xerxes extended his empire into Thrace and Macedonia as well as adding territory from distant eastern provinces page 99. His achievements dont just focus on warlike activities.His building programs at Persepolis and or so closer to home show that his ambitions did not just comprise of fetching land. He thought expanding his empire was important but so to was immanent development. King Darius my father built and ordered to be built lots good construction. By the favour of Ahura mazda I added to that construction and built gain ground (buildings). Cameron and Lawless, pg 181. Xerxes began building almost straight after he ascended the throne, but t he mass of his constructions were done in the last three years of his reign.Some of the buildings consist of the Apadana, which was an audience hall in the Persian royal palace. It was started by Darius and ideal by Xerxes. Harem was Xerxes palace that he built for himself The Central twist was another construction ordered by Xerxes Throne Hall or other wise known as The Hall of 100 Columns, was believed to have been started by Xerxes and finished by Artaxerxes Palace H was another incomplete building believed to have been stared by Xerxes and incomplete inscriptions suggest that it may have been finished by Artaxerxes.These are just a few examples of the achievements this man completed in his life. It is clear that he was a serious ruler who had many ambitions in his life. The love life of Xerxes is a complicated put forward to find evidence on. Herodotus mentions him having only one wife named Amestris and the information on her is extremely little. Her father was probably Ota nes who was a Persian nobleman and one of the seven conspirators who helped Darius become King. Further research uncovers the romance of Esther and coffin nail Vashti. on that point is more information on the story of Esther and Queen Vashti then there is on Amestris. The story of Esther and Vashti is also more probable to be mythology then real history, as a lot of the information doesnt add up. Herodotus neither mentions Esther or Vashti in his histories and he is our main source to this boundary in time. The story of Esther is a book in the bible and is where the Judaic celebration of Purim comes from. According to the story of Esther, King Xerxes was banqueting with all his hotshot and he was boasting about how he had the finest of everything.Then he called for his wife, Queen Vashti, and told her to walk around in front of his guests wearing nothing but her crown because he believed she was the most beautiful woman and he treasured to show everyone. Vashti was greatly ins ulted and refused so she was deposed. A beauty contest was held for Xerxes to recognise a new wife and he chose a young girlfriend called Esther who he apparently fell instantly in love with. Esthers real name was Hadassah but she changed it to hide her Jewish identity.Then with the help of her influence on Xerxes and her cousin Mordecai she was ale to save the Jewish people from slaughter. This story his been questioned by many scholars and historians and is believed to be mythical. Though there isnt much mentioned on Amestris, from the main story she takes part in we are able to piece together quite a picture of her. Amestris wove a extraordinary shawl as a present for her husband Xerxes. He gave it to his brothers daughter Artaynte with whom he had had an affair with.When Amestris discovered this betrayal she was furious and this instant blamed Artayntes mother and had her brutally mutilated. Xerxes brother then beside himself plan a rebellion against Xerxes and Xerxes had h im killed. From this story we can already gather that Amestris was a jealous and not so nice woman who held quite a bit of power over Xerxes, As she wasnt punished for what she did. There is another story of Amestris that leads us to believe she wasnt that good a woman. A custom of Persia was burying people aliveAmestris in her old age did it to fourteen Persian boys of distinguished families, by way of a present which she hoped the god of the under world would except instead of herself Herodotus book 7 section-114. In 465BC Xerxes was found slay in his bedchambers. According to Cameron and Lawless, specific details on the death of Xerxes are unknown. It suggests that Artabanus, the commander of the palace guards murdered him with the help of Aspamitres, a court eunuch pg. 100. Therefore Xerxes ended his reign of the Persian Empire as a victim of palace cabal and was succeeded by his son Artaxerxes.