Artaxerxes

Also known as: King Artaxerxes · Family: Persian · Role: king · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 4 · Part 3

During the revolt in Egypt, led by Inaros, Artaxerxes sent Megabazus to Lacedaemon with money to bribe the Peloponnesians into invading Attica and drawing the Athenians away from Egypt. When the plan made no progress, he recalled Megabazus with the remaining money and sent Megabuzus, son of Zopyrus, with a large army to Egypt.

After Themistocles arrived seeking refuge, Artaxerxes gave him a year before he had to explain his purpose in person. At the end of the year, Themistocles attained high standing at court, and Artaxerxes made him governor and granted him revenues from Magnesia, Lampsacus, and Myos. Artaxerxes was the son of Xerxes and father of Darius; his death was reported at Ephesus about that time.

Relationship record

Life events

• Inaros led a revolt of almost all Egypt against Artaxerxes.(Book 1 · Chapter 4 · Part 3 · 📍 Egypt)
  • With: Inaros
  • “caused a revolt of almost the whole of Egypt from King Artaxerxes and, placing himself at its head”
• Artaxerxes sent Megabazus to bribe the Peloponnesians to invade Attica.(Book 1 · Chapter 4 · Part 3 · 📍 Lacedaemon)
  • With: Megabazus
  • “the King sent Megabazus a Persian to Lacedaemon with money to bribe the Peloponnesians to invade Attica”
• Artaxerxes recalled Megabazus with the remaining money.(Book 1 · Chapter 4 · Part 3)
  • With: Megabazus
  • “he recalled Megabazus with the remainder of the money”
• Artaxerxes granted Themistocles a year before he had to explain his purpose in person.(Book 1 · Chapter 5 · Part 4)
  • With: Themistocles
  • “It is said that the King approved his intention, and told him to do as he said.”
• Themistocles attained very high consideration at Artaxerxes’s court.(Book 1 · Chapter 5 · Part 4)
  • With: Themistocles
  • “Arrived at court at the end of the year, he attained to very high consideration there, such as no Hellene has ever possessed before or since”
• Artaxerxes made Themistocles governor and granted him revenues from Magnesia, Lampsacus, and Myos.(Book 1 · Chapter 5 · Part 4 · 📍 Magnesia)
  • With: Themistocles
  • “He was governor of the district, the King having given him Magnesia, which brought in fifty talents a year, for bread, Lampsacus, which was considered to be the richest wine country, for wine, and Myos for other provisions.”
• Artaphernes and the Athenian ambassadors learned that Artaxerxes had died.(Book 4 · Chapter 13 · Part 2 · 📍 Ephesus)
  • With: Artaphernes
  • “who heard there of the death of King Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes, which took place about that time”
• Tissaphernes invited the Peloponnesians to join him and promised to maintain their army, seeking help against Amorges.(Book 8 · Chapter 24 · Part 1 · 📍 Lacedaemon)
  • With: Tissaphernes Darius Amorges Pissuthnes
  • “an ambassador from Tissaphernes, the commander of King Darius, son of Artaxerxes, in the maritime districts, who invited the Peloponnesians to come over, and promised to maintain their army.”

Book 1 · Chapter 4 · Part 3

• with Megabazus (Artaxerxes sent Megabazus to Lacedaemon with money.) “First the Athenians were masters of Egypt, and the King sent Megabazus a Persian to Lacedaemon with money to bribe the Peloponnesians to invade Attica and so draw off the Athenians from Egypt.”
• with Megabuzus (The King sent Megabuzus with an army to Egypt.) “Finding that the matter made no progress, and that the money was only being wasted, he recalled Megabazus with the remainder of the money, and sent Megabuzus, son of Zopyrus, a Persian, with a large army to Egypt.”
• enemies with Inaros “Meanwhile Inaros, son of Psammetichus, a Libyan king of the Libyans on the Egyptian border, having his headquarters at Marea, the town above Pharos, caused a revolt of almost the whole of Egypt from King Artaxerxes and, placing himself at its head, invited the Athenians to his assistance.”
• servant: Megabazus “First the Athenians were masters of Egypt, and the King sent Megabazus a Persian to Lacedaemon with money to bribe the Peloponnesians to invade Attica and so draw off the Athenians from Egypt.”
• servant: Megabuzus “Finding that the matter made no progress, and that the money was only being wasted, he recalled Megabazus with the remainder of the money, and sent Megabuzus, son of Zopyrus, a Persian, with a large army to Egypt.”

Book 1 · Chapter 5 · Part 4

• friends with Themistocles “for the present, able to do you great service, I am here, pursued by the Hellenes for my friendship for you.”
• parent: Xerxes “King Artaxerxes, Xerxes’s son, who had just come to the throne.”
• protégé: Themistocles “He was governor of the district, the King having given him Magnesia, which brought in fifty talents a year, for bread, Lampsacus, which was considered to be the richest wine country, for wine, and Myos for other provisions.”

Book 4 · Chapter 13 · Part 2

• parent: Xerxes “who heard there of the death of King Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes, which took place about that time, and so returned home.”

Book 8 · Chapter 24 · Part 1

• parent: Darius “the commander of King Darius, son of Artaxerxes, in the maritime districts”

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Extracted from the original text of History of the Peloponnesian War. Made with Rho MD.