Xerxes
Family Background and status
Xerxes was born a royal prince and would have had all the respect and prestige associated with his status. He was not the eldest son of King Darius I. Darius had three sons by another wife whilst he was still but a lord. For Darius to strengthen his calm to the Persian throne, Darius married Atossa , the daughter of Cyrus the Great. Xerxes was the eldest son of this union. This made Xerxes the son of the king, grandson of the founder of the empire and the son with the most royal blood. Herodotus recorded that Persian Males were educated between the ages of five and twenty.
“To ride, to use a bow and to speak the truth.”
On Xerxes’ father, Darius’ tomb there is an inscription that reads. “Trained am I both with hands and feet. As a horseman I am a good horseman. As bowman I am a good bowman both afoot and on horseback. As a spearman I am a good spearman both afoot and on horseback.”
This is an example of the Persian values that were held highly by Darius I but also by other promenade Persians including Xerxes .
Xerxes education would have included the importance of speaking the truth, praying, studying music, learning from Persian legends, and rigorous training in all physical accomplishments, including horsemanship, throwing spears, shooting bow and arrows, hunting and tracking. Part of Xerxes’ education later in his life included titles that would aid him in his Kingship.
Xerxes was the Satrap of Babylon; this would have been a way to prepare him for kingship by giving him experience in in government and administration in one of the most important satrapies in the empire.
Although he was named Xerxes in his time as king this was only his Throne name, his real name remains unknown to us to this day. As king, his status rose, so did his skills in horsemanship, Archery and gardening.
Succession to Kingship
After the death of Darius I, Artabazane, who was the eldest of Darius I’s children, claimed the throne,
Xerxes was born a royal prince and would have had all the respect and prestige associated with his status. He was not the eldest son of King Darius I. Darius had three sons by another wife whilst he was still but a lord. For Darius to strengthen his calm to the Persian throne, Darius married Atossa , the daughter of Cyrus the Great. Xerxes was the eldest son of this union. This made Xerxes the son of the king, grandson of the founder of the empire and the son with the most royal blood. Herodotus recorded that Persian Males were educated between the ages of five and twenty.
“To ride, to use a bow and to speak the truth.”
On Xerxes’ father, Darius’ tomb there is an inscription that reads. “Trained am I both with hands and feet. As a horseman I am a good horseman. As bowman I am a good bowman both afoot and on horseback. As a spearman I am a good spearman both afoot and on horseback.”
This is an example of the Persian values that were held highly by Darius I but also by other promenade Persians including Xerxes .
Xerxes education would have included the importance of speaking the truth, praying, studying music, learning from Persian legends, and rigorous training in all physical accomplishments, including horsemanship, throwing spears, shooting bow and arrows, hunting and tracking. Part of Xerxes’ education later in his life included titles that would aid him in his Kingship.
Xerxes was the Satrap of Babylon; this would have been a way to prepare him for kingship by giving him experience in in government and administration in one of the most important satrapies in the empire.
Although he was named Xerxes in his time as king this was only his Throne name, his real name remains unknown to us to this day. As king, his status rose, so did his skills in horsemanship, Archery and gardening.
Succession to Kingship
After the death of Darius I, Artabazane, who was the eldest of Darius I’s children, claimed the throne,
Bibliography: 300 (2007) Zack Snyder Peter Green (1996) [ 13 ]. 3oo (2007) Zack Snyder [ 14 ]