Xerxes I, the Great king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire who ruled from 486 to 465 BCE

Xerxes I, also known as Xerxes the Great, was a king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire who ruled from 486 to 465 BCE. Born around 519 BCE to Darius I and Queen Atossa, Xerxes inherited a vast and powerful empire, stretching from the Indus Valley in the east to Egypt in the west. His rule is most famously marked by his invasion of Greece, a monumental campaign intending to expand Persian influence over the Greek city-states.

The expedition included significant battles such as Thermopylae and Salamis. Despite initial successes, his army ultimately faced a decisive defeat, halting Persian expansion into Europe. Xerxes’ reign also saw grandiose building projects in his capital at Persepolis, where he continued the architectural work of his father. However, his later years were troubled by internal strife and court intrigue. Xerxes was assassinated in 465 BCE by a member of his own court, marking the beginning of a period of instability within the empire. Xerxes is remembered as a ruler whose ambitions shaped ancient history, his legacy enduring through Greek accounts and Persian inscriptions.

– Name: Xerxes I
– Birth Name: Xšayaṛša (Old Persian for “ruling over heroes”)
– Birthdate and Location: c. 519 BCE, Persia (likely in Persepolis or nearby region)
– Death Date and Location: 465 BCE, Persepolis, Persia
– Age at Death: Approximately 54 years
– Job Title: King of Kings (Shahanshah) of the Persian Empire