Xerxes I

Xerxes I Xšayār̥šā 𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠
King of Kings Great King King of Persia King of Babylon Pharaoh of Egypt King of Countries
Rock relief of Xerxes I, found in Persepolis, kept at National Museum of Iran
King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire Pharaoh of Egypt
Reign	October 486 – August 465 BC
Predecessor	Darius the Great
Successor	Artaxerxes I
Born	c. 518 BC
Died	August 465 BC (aged approximately 53)
Burial	Naqsh-e Rostam
Spouse	Amestris (or Vashti and Hadassah in Biblical tradition)
Issue	Darius Hystaspes Artaxerxes I Arsames Amytis
Dynasty	Achaemenid
Father	Darius the Great
Mother	Atossa
Religion	Indo-Iranian religion (possibly Zoroastrianism)

Xerxes (Xašayaruša/Ḫašayaruša)[1] in hieroglyphs

Xerxes I^[a] (c. 518 – August 465 BC), commonly known as Xerxes the Great,^[3] was a Persian ruler who served as the fourth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 486 BC until his assassination in 465 BC. He was the son of Darius the Great and Atossa, a daughter of Cyrus the Great. In Western history, Xerxes is best known for his invasion of Greece in 480 BC, which ended in Persian defeat. Xerxes was designated successor by Darius over his elder brother Artobazan and inherited a large, multi-ethnic empire upon his father's death. He consolidated his power by crushing revolts in Egypt and Babylon, and renewed his father's campaign to subjugate Greece and punish Athens and its allies for their interference in the Ionian Revolt. In 480 BC, Xerxes personally led a large army and crossed the Hellespont into Europe. He achieved victories at Thermopylae and Artemisium before capturing and razing Athens. His forces gained control of mainland Greece north of the Isthmus of Corinth until their defeat at the Battle of Salamis. Fearing that the Greeks might trap him in Europe, Xerxes retreated with the greater part of his army back to Asia, leaving behind Mardonius to continue his campaign. Mardonius was defeated at Plataea the following year, effectively ending the Persian invasion.

After returning to Persia, Xerxes dedicated himself to large-scale construction projects, many of which had been left unfinished by his father. He oversaw the completion of the Gate of All Nations, the Apadana and the Tachara at Persepolis, and continued the construction of the Palace of Darius at Susa. He also maintained the Royal Road built by his father. In 465 BC, Xerxes and his heir Darius were assassinated by Artabanus, the commander of the royal bodyguard. He was succeeded by his third son, who took the throne as Artaxerxes I.

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