Influence Of Sophocles On Xerxes

Darius I & Themistocle were 2 of many people who played a sig. role in Xerxes’ reign. Themistocles was known as the great Athenian strategist who united the Greekstates & saved Greece. Darius the 1st was the father & predecessor of Xerxes,

he played the role of being the most influential person to Xerxes & believed Xerxes was the most deserving to become his heir. Herodotus records that the Persians accounted Darius a ‘merchant’ for his great achievements on setting the

empire onto a sound financialfooting. Persians & foreigners also called him ‘Lawgiver’ for his enforcement of the law. On the other hand, Themistocles was so greedy he stooped to dishonest actions such as according to Herodotus he took a bribe of 30

talents to arrange
Olmstead also claimed Darius was under the ‘Great influence

of Atossa’ so she prompted him to select her first son Xerxes. Due to Xerxes’ birth after Darius came to the throne & his royal blood connected to Cyrus the Great, thru Queen Atossa who was Cyrus’ daughter & Xerxes’ mother, Xerxes was
Darius died in 486BC leaving his proclaimed heir a legacy which included his goal to take revenge on Athens’ interference during the Ionian Revolt, to avenge

Persian pride that was lost in the Battle of Marathon & as a Persian king carry out his duties to further expand the empire into Greece. Along with the inheritance of Darius’ plan, Xerxes was urged to invade Greece by his cousin Mardonius who was

ambitious to become the Greek satrap & was the highest ranking general in the campaign. Q.Atossa was also a very determined to have her son acclaimed as worthy a king as Darius & to extend the boundaries of the empire. Only Artabanus, Xerxes’

uncle disapproved of the enterprise because he deemed it too early & ruthless. Anxious for military glory, Xerxes resolved to invade Greece. After 4 yrs of preparation he led his enormous army to fight in 5 battles, 2 of which were naval battles