Xerxes I of Persia
46289
225792930
2008-07-15T12:44:42Z
141.151.36.68
/* In the Bible */
{{Infobox Emperor
| name = Xerxes I
| title = Great King (Shah) of Persia, Pharaoh of Egypt
| image = [[Image:Xerxes I, the Great, King of Persia.jpg|Xerxes]]
| caption = Artistic depiction of Xerxes
| reign = 485 to 465 BC
| coronation = October 485 BC
| predecessor = [[Darius I of Persia|Darius I]]
| successor = [[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]]
| heir =
| consort = [[Amestris]]
| issue =
| royal house = [[Achaemenid dynasty]]
| royal anthem =
| father = [[Darius I of Persia]] (the Great)
| mother = [[Atossa]]
| date of birth = 519 BC
| place of birth = Persia
| date of death = 465 BC
| place of death = Persia (Assassination by stabbing)
| place of burial= Persia
| Height = 8'5''
}}
'''Xerxes I of Persia''' (in Persian: Khashayarsha (خشایارشا)‎<ref>{{cite book|last=Ghias Abadi|first=R. M.|title=Achaemenid Inscriptions (کتیبههای هخامنشی)‎|edition=2nd edition|publisher=Shiraz Navid Publications|year=2004|location=Tehran|isbn=964-358-015-6|pages=page 107|language=Persian}}</ref>) was a [[Persian Empire|King of Persia]] (reigned 485–465 BC) of the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid dynasty]]. ''Xérxēs'' (Ξέρξης) is the [[Greek language|Greek]] form of the [[Old Persian]] throne name ''Xšayāršā'', meaning "Ruler of heroes".<ref>Strauss, Barry S. , ''The Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece - and Western Civilization'', p. 36. Simon & Schuster, New York, 2004.</ref> The [[English language|English]] pronunciation is {{IPA|['zɝk siːz]}}.
==Political career==
[[Image:Persepolis - The Gate of Xerxes.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Xerxes Gate, The gate of all nations at [[Persepolis]]]]
Xerxes was son of [[Darius the Great]] and [[Atossa]], the [[daughter]] of [[Cyrus the Great]]. After his accession in October 485 BC, he suppressed the revolts in [[Egypt]] and [[Babylon]] that had broken out the year before and appointed his brother [[Achaemenes (satrap)|Achaemenes]] as governor or [[satrap]] over Egypt (Old Persian: khshathrapavan). In 484 BC, he took away from [[Babylon]] the golden statue of Bel ([[Marduk]], Merodach), the hands of which the rightful king of Babylon had to take a hold of on the first day of each year, and killed the priest who tried to get in his way. Therefore Xerxes does not bear the title of King in the Babylonian documents dated from his reign, but King of Persia and [[Medes|Media]] or simply King of countries (i.e. of the world). This proceeding led to two rebellions, probably in 484 BC and 479 BC.
===Invasion of the Greek Mainland===
{{main|Greco-Persian Wars}}
[[Image:Trilingual inscription of Xerxes, Van, 1973.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Inscription of Xerxes, [[Van, Turkey]], 1973.]]
[[Image:Tresury relief.JPG|thumb|right|150px|''Relief of an Achaemenid king, possibly Xerxes or [[Darius I of Persia|Darius]], on the wall of Persepolis Palace<ref>[http://www.livius.org/a/iran/persepolis/apadana-northstairs-relief/apadana-northstairs-relief.html Livius Picture Archive: Persepolis - Apadana Audience Relief<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>'']]
Darius left to his son the task of punishing the [[Athens|Athenians]], [[Naxos Island|Naxians]], and [[Eretria]]ns for their interference in the [[Ionian Revolt]] and their victory over the Persians at [[Battle of Marathon|Marathon]]. From 483 BC Xerxes prepared his expedition: A channel was dug through the [[isthmus]] of the peninsula of [[Mount Athos]], provisions were stored in the stations on the road through [[Thrace]], two bridges were thrown across the [[Hellespont]]. Soldiers of many nationalities served in the armies of Xerxes, including the [[Assyrians]], [[Phoenicia]]ns, [[Babylonians]], [[India]]ns, [[Egyptians]], [[Jews]] and [[Arabs]].<ref>Farrokh 2007: 77</ref> According to the Greek historian [[Herodotus]], Xerxes' first attempt to bridge the Hellespont ended in failure when a storm destroyed the [[flax]] and [[papyrus]] bridge; Xerxes ordered the Hellespont (the strait itself) whipped three hundred times and had [[fetters]] thrown into the water. Xerxes' second attempt to bridge the Hellespont was successful.<ref>Bailkey, Nels, ed. ''Readings in Ancient History'', p. 175. D.C. Heath and Co., USA, 1992.</ref> Xerxes concluded an alliance with [[Carthage]], and thus deprived [[Greece]] of the support of the powerful monarchs of [[Syracuse, Italy|Syracuse]] and [[Agrigentum]]. Many smaller Greek states, moreover, took the side of the Persians, especially [[Thessaly]], [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]] and [[Argos]]. Xerxes set out in the spring of 480 BC from [[Sardis]] with a fleet and army which Herodotus claimed was more than two million strong with at least 10,000 elite warriors named [[Persian Immortals]]. Xerxes was victorious during the initial battles. At the [[Battle of Thermopylae]], a small force of warriors, led by King [[Leonidas I|Leonidas]] of [[Sparta]], resisted the much larger Persian forces, but were ultimately defeated, according to Herodotus, after a Greek man called [[Ephialtes of Trachis|Ephialtes]] betrayed his country by telling the Persians of another pass around the mountains. After Thermopylae, [[Athens]] was captured, and the Athenians and Spartans were driven back to their last line of defense at the [[Isthmus of Corinth]] and in the [[Saronic Gulf]]. At Artemisium, large storms had destroyed ships from the Greek side, and so the battle stopped prematurely as the Greeks received news of the defeat at Thermopylae and retreated. Xerxes was induced by the message of [[Themistocles]] (against the advice of [[Artemisia I of Caria|Artemisia]] of [[Halicarnassus]]) to attack the Greek fleet under unfavourable conditions, rather than sending a part of his ships to the [[Peloponnesus]] and awaiting the dissolution of the Greek armies. The [[Battle of Salamis]] ([[September 29]], [[480 BC]]) was won by the Athenians. Although the loss was a setback, it was not a disaster, and Xerxes set up a winter camp in [[Thessaly]]. Due to unrest in [[Babylon]], Xerxes was forced to send his army home to prevent a revolt, leaving behind an army in Greece under [[Mardonius]], who was defeated the following year at [[Battle of Plataea|Plataea]].<ref>[http://www.livius.org/a/battlefields/salamis/salamis.html Battle of Salamis and aftermath]</ref> The defeat of the Persians at [[Battle of Mycale|Mycale]] roused the Greek cities of [[Asia]].[[Image:Tomb of Xerxes.jpg|thumb|left|The rock-cut tomb at [[Persepolis#Tombs of Kings of Kings|Naqš-i Rustam]] north of [[Persepolis]], copying that of [[Darius the Great of Persia|Darius]], is usually assumed to be that of Xerxes]]
==In the Bible==
The name Xerxes has not traditionally appeared in English bibles,<ref>KJV, NASB, Amplified Bible, ESV, 21st Century KJV, ASV, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Translation, Holman Christian Standard Bible, etc. </ref> but has rather appeared as 'Ahasuerus'. While in many other translations and paraphrases<ref>NIV, The Message, NLT, CEV, NCV, NIRV, Today's NIV, etc.</ref> they have directly listed Xerxes. The name Ahasuerus appears three times in the Bible: firstly as [[Esther]]'s husband,<ref>{{bibleverse||Esther|1:1|HE}}</ref> followed by a perfect example in the Book of [[Ezra]]<ref>{{bibleverse||Ezra|4:5|HE}}</ref>, listing him as king of Persia in proper order after [[Cyrus]] and [[Darius I of Persia|Darius]] (skipping [[Cambyses]] and the short rule of the [[Smerdis of Persia|Magi]] as being unrelated to the events of the book); while the third and final reference to "Darius the son of Ahasuerus"<ref>{{bibleverse|Daniel||9:1|HE}}</ref> is not related to Xerxes the Great.<ref>for more information on this matter see the artilce [[Book of Daniel#Identity of "Darius the Mede"|Darius the Mede]], Identity of "Darius the Mede".</ref><ref>Nichol, F.D., ''Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary'', ''Volume 4'', Review and Herald Publishing Association, (Washington, D.C., 1954 edition), p.848 "Daniel 9:1", p.814 "Additional Note on Chapter 6"</ref>
While as already stated, the name Xerxes comes to us directly from the Greek Ξέρξης, scholars maintain that the 'English' name Ahasuerus is derived from the Latin transliteration of the Hebrew Áchashwerosh. This in turn is the Hebrew equivalent of the Babylonian Achshiyarshu: both of which are transliterations from the Old Persian Xšayāršā (also spelt Khsayârshâ).<ref>Nichol, F.D., ''Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary'', ''Volume 3'', Review and Herald Publishing Association, (Washington, D.C., 1954 edition), p.459, "Historical Setting"</ref> Thus this literary change was created as the name moved accross each of the language groups in a westerly direction from Persia until it entered the English bible.
For these same reasons and due to the historical context of the text, it is also commonly understood and translated that [[Esther]]'s husband Ahasuerus is Xerxes the Great.<ref>New International Version, The Message, Amplified Bible, New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, New King James Version, New Century Version, New International Reader's Version, Today's New International Version, etc.</ref> But the Greek [[Septuagint]] version of the [[Hebrew Bible]] identifies [[Esther]]'s husband as [[Artaxerxes I]] (Longimanus), rather than Xerxes himself,<ref>''Septagint''; Esther 1:1,2,9...etc.; 2003 Hendrickson Publishers, ed. by Sir Lancelot C.L. Brenton; [[ISBN 0-913573-44-2]]</ref> as does the [[Judeo-Roman]] historian [[Josephus]].<ref>Josephus, ''Antiquities of the Jews'' Book 11, Chap. 6, sec. 2; Whiston, William; ''The Complete Works of Josephus''; Hendrickson Publishers, 1987; [[ISBN 0-913573-86-8]].</ref> Yet it is now thought that the translators of this portion of the [[Septuagint#Creation of the Septuagint|Septuagint]]<ref>Sir Godfrey Driver, [http://www.bible-researcher.com/driver1.html Introduction to the Old Testament of the New English Bible] (1970)</ref> simply mistook Xerxes the Great for [[Artaxerxes I]] (Longimanus).<ref>Nichol, F.D., ''Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary'', ''Volume 3'', Review and Herald Publishing Association, (Washington, D.C., 1954 edition), p.459, "Historical Setting"</ref> It is understandable that such a translational mistake could lead later Jewish and Christian historians and commentators<ref>Matthew Henry Clark, ''Concordance on the Whole Bible'', http://www.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/view.cgi?book=ezr&chapter=004</ref><ref>Matthew Henry Clark, ''Concordance on the Whole Bible'', http://www.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/view.cgi?book=es&chapter=001</ref><ref>The New John Gil Exposition of the Entire Bible, http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/view.cgi?book=es&chapter=001&verse=001</ref><ref>The Adam Clark Commentary, http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/view.cgi?book=es&chapter=001</ref> to draw similar conclusions and/or manifest confusion in the matter.
==Children==
'''By queen [[Amestris]]'''
*[[Amytis]], wife of [[Megabyzus]]
*[[Artaxerxes I]]
*[[Darius (son of Xerxes I)|Darius]], the first born, murdered by Artaxerxes and [[Artabanus of Persia|Artabanus]].
*[[Hystaspes (son of Xerxes I)|Hystaspes]], murdered by Artaxerxes.
*[[Rodogyne]]
'''By unknown wives'''
*[[Artarius]], satrap of Babylon.
*Ratashah<ref>M. Brosius, ''Women in ancient Persia''.</ref>
{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Achaemenid dynasty]]||519 BC||465 BC}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Darius I of Persia|Darius I the Great]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of kings of Persia|Great King (Shah) of Persia]]|years=[[485 BC]]–[[465 BC]]}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Artaxerxes I of Persia|Artaxerxes I]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Pharaoh|Pharaoh of Egypt]]|years=[[485 BC]]–[[465 BC]]}}
{{end}}
==In popular culture==
{{trivia|date=July 2008}}
*In ''[[The 300 Spartans]]'' (1962), King Xerxes is portrayed by actor [[David Farrar (actor)|David Farrar]].
*In ''[[300 (film)|300]]'' (2007), King Xerxes is portrayed by [[Brazilian people|Brazilian]] actor [[Rodrigo Santoro]]. Based on the [[300 (comics)|Frank Miller graphic novel]], the film fictionalizes the [[Battle of Thermopylae]].
*In ''[[One Night With the King]]'' (2006), King Xerxes is portrayed by [[Luke Goss]].
*In ''[[Gates of Fire]]'' (1998) by [[Steven Pressfield]], Xerxes is portrayed as an all-powerful ruler who is torn between learning more about the intriguing Spartan culture vs. their military strategy and tactics.
*A fictionalized portrait of Xerxes appears in ''[[Creation (novel)|Creation]]'' by [[Gore Vidal]].
*Xerxes is a pivotal character in [[L. Sprague de Camp]]'s [[historical novel]] ''[[The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate]].'' He sends the two protagonists on their quest to the source of the [[Nile]].
*In the spoof film ''[[United 300]]'' (2007), the terrorist emperor Jerxes, played by [[Ken Gamble]], is a parody of Xerxes as depicted in ''[[300 (film)|300]]''.
*Xerxes is portrayed by [[Ken Davitian]] in the comedy-spoof ''[[Meet The Spartans]]''.
=== See also ===
* ''[[Xerse]]'', an opera by [[Francesco Cavalli]] loosely based on Xerxes I
* ''[[Serse]]'', an opera by [[George Frideric Handel]] with a similar libretto to that set by Cavalli.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Further reading==
{{Commonscat|Xerxes I of Persia}}
* Herodotus, ''The Persian Wars''. Translated by George Rawlinson, Introduction by Francis R.B. Godolphin (1942 edition)
*A.T. Olmstead, 1948. ''History of the Persian Empire'' (University of Chicago Press) pp. 214ff.
*P. Briant, 2002. ''From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire''.
* Farrokh, Kaveh (2007). ''Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War''. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1846031087.
[[Category:Monarchs of Persia]]
[[Category:Pharaohs of the Achaemenid dynasty of Egypt]]
[[Category:Monarchs of the Hebrew Bible]]
[[Category:Battle of Thermopylae]]
[[Category:Murdered monarchs]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:465 BC deaths]]
[[Category:Book of Esther]]
[[Category:Achaemenid kings]]
[[ar:خشایارشا الأول]]
[[bs:Kserks I od Perzije]]
[[bg:Ксеркс I]]
[[ca:Xerxes I de Pèrsia]]
[[cs:Xerxés I.]]
[[da:Xerxes 1. af Persien]]
[[de:Xerxes I.]]
[[el:Ξέρξης Α΄]]
[[es:Jerjes I]]
[[eo:Kserkso la 1-a (Persio)]]
[[fa:خشایارشا]]
[[fr:Xerxès Ier]]
[[gl:Xerxes I]]
[[ko:크세르크세스 1세]]
[[hr:Kserkso I.]]
[[it:Serse I di Persia]]
[[he:חשיארש הראשון]]
[[ku:Xeşeyerşa]]
[[la:Xerxes]]
[[hu:I. Xerxész]]
[[mr:झेरेक्सिस पहिला]]
[[nl:Xerxes I]]
[[ja:クセルクセス1世]]
[[no:Xerxes I av Persia]]
[[pl:Kserkses]]
[[pt:Xerxes I da Pérsia]]
[[ro:Xerxes I]]
[[ru:Ксеркс I]]
[[simple:Xerxes]]
[[sk:Xerxes I.]]
[[sl:Kserkses I.]]
[[sr:Ксеркс I]]
[[fi:Kserkses I]]
[[sv:Xerxes I]]
[[vi:Xerxes I của Ba Tư]]
[[tr:Serhas]]
[[uk:Ксеркс]]
[[war:Xerxes I han Persia]]
[[zh:泽克西斯一世]]