Artaxerxes II of Persia 93506 225191382 2008-07-12T11:05:42Z Thijs!bot 1392310 robot Adding: [[ja:アルタクセルクセス2世]] {{Infobox Monarch | name =Artaxerxes II Mnemon | title =[[List of kings of Persia|Great King (Shah) of Persia]] | image = | caption = | reign =[[404 BC]]–[[358 BC]] | coronation = | othertitles = | full name = | predecessor =[[Darius II of Persia]] | suc-type =[[Heir apparent|Heir Apparent]] | heir =[[Artaxerxes III of Persia]] | successor =[[Artaxerxes III of Persia]] | queen = | consort = | spouse 1 = | spouse 2 = | spouse 3 = | spouse 4 = | spouse 5 = | spouse 6 = | issue =[[Artaxerxes III of Persia]] | royal house = | dynasty =[[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] | royal anthem = | father =Darius II of Persia | mother =[[Parysatis]] | date of birth =[[Circa|ca.]] [[436 BC]] | place of birth = | date of death =[[358 BC]] | place of death = | date of burial = | place of burial = |}} '''Artaxerxes II Mnemon''' ([[Old Persian language|Old Persian]]: 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠<ref>{{cite book|last=Moradi Ghiasabadi|first=Reza|title=Achaemenid Inscriptions (کتیبه‌های هخامنشی)&lrm;|edition=2nd edition|publisher=Shiraz Navid Publications|year=2004|location=Tehran|isbn=964-358-015-6|pages=page 138|language=Persian [http://www.ghiasabadi.com/nabeshteh.html Persian Studies]}}</ref> ''Artaxšaçrā'', {{lang-grc|Αρταξέρξης}}) (ca. [[436 BC|436]] – [[358 BC]]) was king of [[Persian Empire|Persia]] from [[404 BC]] until his death. He was a son of [[Darius II of Persia]] and [[Parysatis]]. == Reign == He defended his position against his brother [[Cyrus the Younger]], who was defeated and killed at the [[Battle of Cunaxa]] in [[401 BC]], and against a revolt of the provincial governors, the [[satrap]]s ([[366 BC|366]] – 358 BC). He also became involved in a war with Persia's erstwhile allies, the [[Sparta]]ns, who, under [[Agesilaus]], invaded [[Asia Minor]]. In order to redirect the [[Sparta]]ns attention to Greek affairs Artaxerxes subsidized their enemies: in particular the [[Athens|Athenians]], [[Thebes, Greece|Thebans]], and [[Corinth|Corinthians]]. These subsidies helped to engage the [[Sparta]]ns in what would become known as the [[Corinthian War]]. In [[386 BC]], Artaxerxes II betrayed his allies and came to an arrangement with Sparta, and in the [[Treaty of Antalcidas]] he forced his erstwhile allies to come to terms. This treaty restored control of the Greek cities of [[Ionia]] and [[Aeolis]] on the Anatolian coast to the Persians, while giving Sparta dominance on the Greek mainland. Although successful against the Greeks, Artaxerxes had more trouble with the [[Egypt]]ians, who had successfully revolted against him at the beginning of his reign. An attempt to reconquer Egypt in [[373 BC]] was completely unsuccessful, but in his waning years the Persians did manage to defeat a joint Egyptian–Spartan effort to conquer [[Phoenicia]]. He is reported to have had a number of wives, chief among whom was a Greek woman of [[Phocaea]] named Aspasia (not the same as the concubine of [[Pericles]]). He also is said to have loved a young [[eunuch]] by the name of Tiridates, who died "as he was emerging from childhood." His death caused Artaxerxes enormous grief, and there was public mourning for him throughout the empire as an offering to the king from his subjects.<ref>[[Aelian]], ''Varia Historia,'' 12.1</ref> Artaxerxes II is said to have more than 115 sons from 350 wives.<ref>[http://www.iranologie.com/history/Achaemenid/chapter%20V.html History of Iran<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He is thought to be one of the prime candidates for the Persian king [[Ahasuerus]] of the Purim story. == Building projects == Much of Artaxerxes's wealth was spent on building projects. He restored the palace of Darius I at Susa, and also the fortifications; including a strong redoubt at the southeast corner of the enclosure and gave Ecbatana a new apadana and sculptures. He seems not to have built much at Persepolis.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} ==See also== *[[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]] *[[History of Persia]] *''[[Anabasis (Xenophon)|The Anabasis]]'' *[[Ten Thousand (Greek)]] ==References== <references /> ==External links== *[http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/artaxerx.html Internet Classics Archive - Artaxerxes by Plutarch] {{s-start}} {{s-hou|[[Achaemenid dynasty]]||c. 436 BC||358 BC}} {{s-bef|before=[[Darius II of Persia|Darius II]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[List of kings of Persia|Great King (Shah) of Persia]]|years=404 BC&ndash;358 BC}} {{s-aft|after=[[Artaxerxes III of Persia|Artaxerxes III]]}} {{end}} {{Plutarch}} [[Category:436 BC births]] [[Category:358 BC deaths]] [[Category:Achaemenid kings]] [[Category:Monarchs of Persia]] [[Category:History of pederasty]] [[ca:Artaxerxes II de Pèrsia]] [[cs:Artaxerxés II.]] [[de:Artaxerxes II.]] [[es:Artajerjes II]] [[eo:Artaĥŝaŝt la 2-a]] [[fa:اردشیر دوم (هخامنشی)]] [[fr:Artaxerxès II]] [[gl:Artaxerxes II]] [[ko:아르타크세르크세스 2세]] [[it:Artaserse II di Persia]] [[ka:ართახშასა II]] [[nl:Artaxerxes II]] [[ja:アルタクセルクセス2世]] [[no:Artaxerxes II av Persia]] [[pl:Artakserkses II]] [[pt:Artaxerxes II da Pérsia]] [[ru:Артаксеркс II]] [[sk:Artaxerxes II.]] [[sr:Артаксеркс II]] [[sh:Artakserks II]] [[fi:Artakserkses II]] [[sv:Artaxerxes II]] [[uk:Артаксеркс II]]