who was darius in ancient greece

Who was Darius and what did he do?

Darius the Great was an Achaemenid ruler noted for his administrative genius, his great building projects, and his benevolence toward the diverse peoples under his sovereignty. His policies and building projects helped fortify his vast empire and enhance trade throughout.

Who was Darius Greece?

Darius I (Old Persian: 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 Dārayavaʰuš; Greek: Δαρεῖος Dareios; c. 550 – 486 BCE), commonly known as Darius the Great, was a Persian ruler who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his death in 486 BCE.

What is Darius remembered for?

Darius I (548-486 BC) assumed the throne of Persia at age 28. He ruled for over 30 years and was admired for his organizational skills that were instrumental in building a more powerful Persian kingdom.

Why did Darius become angry with Greece?

Darius had been provoked by the assistance the city-states, particularly Athens, had given to an unsuccessful revolt by the Ionian Greeks - the colonies of Greeks living on the western coast of Turkey. In retaliation he now sought to establish his authority over all Greece.

Who was first Cyrus or Darius?

Cyrus the Great is generally regarded as the first Persian king, or Shah. He began as a ruler of a small kingdom. Over a ten year period between 559 and 549 B.C. he united the various Persian tribes and conquered the Medes to create the Persian Empire.

Was Darius a good king?

Darius the Great is one of the most famous kings of the Achaemenid Empire. He conquered new lands and overhauled Persia's infrastructure and economy, ushering in a golden age. A mighty leader and administrative genius, Darius the Great ruled the Achaemenid Empire at the height of its powers.

What does the name Darius mean?

maintains possessions wellDarius is a boy's name of Persian and Greek origin. As it means "maintains possessions well," Darius is a great name to inspire your little one to be respectful and mindful of their belongings.

Who defeated Darius the Great?

Alexander the GreatThe Battle of Issus, in which Alexander the Great secured a decisive victory over Darius III of Persia.

How did Darius control his empire?

Partly as a response to the initial challenges that he faced, Darius reorganized the empire by dividing it into satrapies, or provinces. For each satrapy, Darius appointed a satrap—a political governor—and a military commander.

Did Greece lose to Persia?

The rout was complete. According to Herodotus, the Greeks lost 192 soldiers, the Persians 6,400. The majority escaped to the fleet, which sailed at once, hoping to surprise Athens, but the Athenians—by a forced march—arrived that evening to defend the city. The Persians then departed.

Did Persia invade Greece?

Answer and Explanation: The Persians invaded Greece during the first Persian War under Darius I, because the Athenians had sent aid to help the uprising against Persia during the Ionian revolt. Darius vowed to burn Athens to the ground because of their involvement.

How did Greece win against Persia?

The Greeks crushed the weaker Persian foot soldiers by routing the wings before turning towards the centre of the Persian line. The remnants of the Persian army fled to their ships and left the battle. Herodotus records that 6,400 Persian bodies were counted on the battlefield; the Athenians lost only 192 men.

Who defeated Darius the Great?

Alexander the GreatThe Battle of Issus, in which Alexander the Great secured a decisive victory over Darius III of Persia.

How did Darius control his empire?

Partly as a response to the initial challenges that he faced, Darius reorganized the empire by dividing it into satrapies, or provinces. For each satrapy, Darius appointed a satrap—a political governor—and a military commander.

What does the name Darius mean?

maintains possessions wellDarius is a boy's name of Persian and Greek origin. As it means "maintains possessions well," Darius is a great name to inspire your little one to be respectful and mindful of their belongings.

Are Darius and Artaxerxes the same person?

Artaxerxes was probably born in the reign of his grandfather Darius I, to the emperor's son and heir, Xerxes I.

What is Darius the Great known for?

Darius the Great was an Achaemenid ruler noted for his administrative genius, his great building projects, and his benevolence toward the diverse p...

How did Darius the Great come to power?

Darius was a member of the royal bodyguard of Cambyses II, the son and heir of Cyrus the Great who ruled for several years before dying mysteriousl...

How was Darius the Great influential?

Darius the Great helped unify the Achaemenid empire, which spanned a vast heterogeneous territory. Much of this unification was achieved through bu...

Who was Darius the Great?

Definition. Darius I (l. c. 550-486 BCE, r. 522-486 BCE), also known as Darius the Great, was the third Persian King of the Achaemenid Empire. His reign lasted 36 years, from 522 to 486 BCE; during this time the Persian Empire reached its peak. Darius led military campaigns in Europe, Greece, and even in the Indus valley, ...

When was Darius born?

Darius was born in c. 550 BCE, the oldest son of Hystapes and Rhodugune. The Behistun Inscription mentions that his father occupied the position of satrap ( Persian governor) of Bactria and Persis during the reign of Cyrus the Great (559-530 BCE) and his son, Cambyses (530-522 BCE). During the reign of Cambyses, ...

What did Darius do for the Persian Empire?

Not only resuming to military prowess, Darius also improved the legal and economic system and conducted impressive construction projects across the Persian Empire.

What difficulties did Darius face?

However, Darius faced unforeseen difficulties. The Scythians evaded the Persian army, using feints and retreating eastwards, all the while laying waste to the countryside. The king's army chased the enemy deep into Scythian lands, where he sent word to their ruler, urging Idanthyrsus to fight or surrender.

Why did Otanes opt out of the oligarchy?

Otanes opted out, wanting only special privileges for his family, oligarchy was suggested by Megabyzus, while Darius voted for a monarchy. Being unable to settle the matter at hand, all of them agreed on a contest, where the winner would take the throne.

How did Darius improve the Persian government?

He also improved the legal system of the Persian government, using the Babylonian Hammurabi as a model and copying some of his laws completely. The laws were enforced by the judges of the empire, who needed to be incorruptible. Darius removed the previous native officials, replacing them with new people loyal to him.

Why did Darius want to conquer the western Greek lands?

They range from simple military conquest to a more propagandistic motive, revenge for a previous conflict during the reign of Cyrus where the Scythians had attacked Medes. Another possible reason is that Darius wanted to conquer the western Greek lands and the Scythian campaign was supposed to threaten the Greeks into surrender.

Who was Darius the Great?

Darius the Great. 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁. King of Kings. Great King. King of Persia. King of Babylon. Pharaoh of Egypt. King of Countries. The relief stone of Darius the Great in the Behistun Inscription.

What did Darius succeed in?

Although ultimately ending in failure at the Battle of Marathon, Darius succeeded in the re-subjugation of Thrace, expansion of the empire through the conquest of Macedon, the Cyclades and the island of Naxos and the sacking of the city of Eretria.

What happened to the anti-Persian parties in Athens?

At the same time, anti-Persian parties gained more power in Athens, and pro-Persian aristocrats were exiled from Athens and Sparta. Darius responded by sending troops led by his son-in-law across the Hellespont. However, a violent storm and harassment by the Thracians forced the troops to return to Persia.

What was Darius's major event?

Darius's European expedition was a major event in his reign, which began with the invasion of Thrace. Darius also conquered many cities of the northern Aegean, Paeonia, while Macedonia submitted voluntarily, after the demand of earth and water, becoming a vassal kingdom. He then left Megabyzus to conquer Thrace, returning to Sardis to spend the winter. The Greeks living in Asia Minor and some of the Greek islands had submitted to Persian rule already by 510 BC. Nonetheless, there were certain Greeks who were pro-Persian, although these were largely based in Athens. To improve Greek-Persian relations, Darius opened his court and treasuries to those Greeks who wanted to serve him. These Greeks served as soldiers, artisans, statesmen and mariners for Darius. However, the increasing concerns amongst the Greeks over the strength of Darius's kingdom along with the constant interference by the Greeks in Ionia and Lydia were stepping stones towards the conflict that was yet to come between Persia and certain of the leading Greek city states.

When was the Daric coin invented?

See also: Achaemenid coinage. Gold daric, minted at Sardis. Darius introduced a new universal currency, the daric, sometime before 500 BCE. Darius used the coinage system as a transnational currency to regulate trade and commerce throughout his empire.

Where did Darius go in 516 BCE?

In 516 BCE, Darius embarked on a campaign to Central Asia, Aria and Bactria and then marched into Afghanistan to Taxila in modern-day Pakistan. Darius spent the winter of 516–515 BCE in Gandhara, preparing to conquer the Indus Valley. Darius conquered the lands surrounding the Indus River in 515 BCE.

Where did Darius move to?

Following his coronation at Pasargadae, Darius moved to Ecbatana. He soon learned that support for Bardiya was strong, and revolts in Elam and Babylonia had broken out. Darius ended the Elamite revolt when the revolutionary leader Aschina was captured and executed in Susa. After three months the revolt in Babylonia had ended. While in Babylonia, Darius learned a revolution had broken out in Bactria, a satrapy which had always been in favour of Darius, and had initially volunteered an army of soldiers to quell revolts. Following this, revolts broke out in Persis, the homeland of the Persians and Darius and then in Elam and Babylonia, followed by in Media, Parthia, Assyria, and Egypt.

Who is the main source of information on Darius?

Herodotus's History is the principal source of information on Darius. Aeschylus's Persae is also important. The Behistun inscription is Darius's official account; it is contained in Roland G. Kent, Old Persian: Grammar, Texts, Lexicon (1950; 2d ed. rev. 1953). The fullest recent treatment of Darius is in A. T. Olmstead, History of the Persian Empire (1948; rev. ed. 1959), which asserts that Darius was a usurper. Roman Ghirshman, Iran from the Earliest Times to the Islamic Conquest (1954), is more traditional. Richard Frye, The Heritage of Persia (1963), is also of interest. □

What did Darius do to the empire?

Empire. With his own house in order, Darius began a series of conquests aimed at expanding his control. He conquered parts of northwest India and led his forces into the lands of the Scythians north of the Black Sea. Forays to the west brought him into contact with east Greek (Ionian) colonies in western Anatolia. Faced with continual revolt by Ionian cities (499–494 b.c.e..) and defeated on the plains of Marathon in Greece in 490 b.c.e.., Persian forces temporarily retreated but retained control of the city-states in Macedonia, Thrace, and around the Bosporus Straits. Darius also retained power over Egypt. He reorganized his realm into twenty provinces, or satrapies. Each province was governed by a satrap who was responsible for the collection of taxes, military matters, and civil affairs. In some areas garrisons were under the control of commanders appointed by and responsible to the king. The satrap was usually a wealthy aristocrat who may have been a close relative of the king, and he modeled his administration on that of the “Great King.” Monumental royal inscriptions were typically trilingual, written in Old Persian, Elamite, and Akkadian. The administrative language of the empire was Aramaic, which was widely used throughout the realm.

What city did Darius build?

Persepolis. Darius commissioned the building of a new dynastic capital at Persepolis in the province of Fars, the homeland of the Achaemenids. The reliefs on the stairway of his Apadana, or audience hall, depict the king, his court, and delegates of his empire bringing him gifts. The reliefs represent the Achaemenid ideal of a harmonious, culturally diverse kingdom of peoples ruled by a benevolent king who cares for the welfare of his people. Darius also built palaces in the ancient city of Susa and at Babylon. Persepolis was burned by Alexander III (the Great) of Macedon in 331 b.c.e..

How long did it take Darius to travel from Sardis to Susa?

The trip from Sardis in western Asia Minor to Susa in Persia normally took 3 months; a royal message could cover it in a week.

What was Darius' first European campaign?

Darius's first European campaign, about 513, was aimed not at Greece but north toward the Danube. Herodotus recorded that Darius intended to conquer the complete circuit of the Black Sea and that he was turned back north of the Danube by the native Scythians' scorched-earth policy. This may be, or it may be that Darius never intended any permanent conquest north of the Danube and that Herodotus turned a limited success into a grandiose failure in order to make all Persian operations in Europe at least partly unsuccessful. Darius did secure the approaches to Greece and the control of the grain route through the Bosporus.

What was the next act of the Greco-Persian drama?

The next act in the Greco-Persian drama was the so-called lonian Revolt (499-494), an uprising against Persia of most of the Greeks of Asia Minor headed by the Ionians, and particularly by the city of Miletus. Though the revolt was put down by Darius's generals, its seriousness is indicated by its length and by the fact that the Ionians' appeal to the Greek homeland was answered, at least in part, by Athens and Eretria.

Where did the Persians land in Athens?

The Persians landed on the small plain of Marathon northeast of Athens , and the Greeks took up station in easily defendable nearby hills out of reach of the Persian cavalry. After some days' waiting, the Persians began to reembark, perhaps for a dash on Athens. The Greeks, led by Miltiades, were forced to attack, which they did with a lengthened front to avoid encirclement by the more numerous Persians. In this first major encounter between European and Asian infantry, the Greek closely knit, heavily armed phalanx won decisively. The Persian survivors sailed at once for Athens, but Miltiades rushed his forces back, and the Persians arrived to see the Greeks lined up before the city. Abandoning action, they sailed home, and the campaign of Marathon was over.

Who was Darius' father?

Darius was born in 550 BCE His father was Hystaspes and his grandfather was Arsames, both of whom were Achaemenids. In ascending the throne, Darius noted in his own autobiography that he traced his lineage to Achaemenes. "From long ago," said Darius, "We are princely, from long ago our family was royal.

Who is Darius' god?

In the Behistun Inscription, Darius explains why he has the right to rule. He says he has the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda on his side. He claims royal blood lineage through four generations to the eponymous Achaemenes, the father of Teispes, who was the great-grandfather of Cyrus.

How many children did Darius have?

Darius had at least 18 children.

How did Darius expand the Persian Empire?

Darius expanded the Persian empire from the Sakas beyond Sogdiana to the Kush, and from Sind to Sardis. He also refined and expanded the Persian satrapy form of administrative rule, dividing his empire into 20 pieces and providing each piece an authority (generally a relative) to rule over them, and placing additional security measures to reduce revolt.

Where did Darius move the capital of the Persian Empire?

Darius moved the Persian capital from Pasagardae to Persepolis, where he had built a palace and a treasury, where the enormous wealth of the Persian empire would be safely stored for 200 years, only to be looted by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE.

Who was Darius' predecessor?

His predecessor was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus the Great and Cassandane, who ruled the Achaemenid empire between 530 and 522 BCE Cambyses died from natural causes, but he left his throne in dispute. By right, Cambyses ' heir should have been his brother Bardiya—Darius claimed Bardiya had been slain by Cambyses, but somebody showed up claiming he was the missing brother and heir to the throne.

Who was the last king of the Achaemenid Dynasty?

Both Darius and his son Xerxes participated in the Greco-Persian or Persian Wars . The last king of the Achaemenid Dynasty was Darius III, who ruled from 336–330 BCE Darius III was a descendant of Darius II (ruled 423-405 BCE), who was a descendant of King Darius I.

Who was Darius the Great?

Darius I the Great was the third Achaemenid king of kings (r. 29 September 522-October 486 B.C.E.; Figure 1 ). He was born in 550 B.C.E. (cf. Herodotus, 1.209), the eldest son of Vištāspa (Hystaspes) and *Vardagauna (Gk. Rhodog (o)únē, NPers. Golgūn; Justi, Namenbuch, p. 261; Hinz, 1975a, p. 270). Before his accession to the throne he served Cambyses (529-22 B.C.E.) as a spear bearer in Egypt (Herodotus, 3.139).

Who suggested that Darius was related to Cyrus?

The present author subscribes to the former view. In 1889 Hugo Winckler (p. 128) suggested that “perhaps” Darius had lied in claiming to be related to Cyrus (cf. Rost, 1897a, p. 107; idem, 1897b). Subsequently such scholars as A. T. Olmstead, A. R. Burn, and Muhammad A. Dandamayev elaborated on this hypothesis.

What are the primary sources of the Persian text?

The primary sources are of four basic kinds. First, there is Darius’ record relief (DB) at Bīsotūn (for the Old Persian text, see now Schmitt; for the Babylonian text, with some variants, see von Voigtlander); an additional fragment of the relief (Seidl) and one of the Babylonian inscription (von Voigtlander, pp. 63-65) are also known, as are substantial portions of an Aramaic version (Greenfield and Porten). The second category includes texts and monuments from Persepolis (Schmidt; Kent, Old Persian; Cameron; Hallock, 1969; cf. evaluations by Lewis, 1977, pp. 4-26; idem, 1990; Bivar, CAH2, pp. 204-10; Tuplin, pp. 115 ff.), Susa (Schmidt, I, pp. 29-33; ART IN IRANiii, pp. 574-75), Babylon (Strassmaier; Oppenheim, pp. 559-60; Cardascia, pp. 5-8; Haerinck; van Dijk and Mayer, no. 88; Stolper, 1985, esp. pp. 41-60; Dandamayev, 1992, pp. 3, 5, 10-11 and passim), and Egypt (Posener; Schmidt, I, pp. 26-27; Bresciani, pp. 507-09; Ray, pp. 262-66; Hinz, 1975b; Lloyd). A fragmentary Old Persian inscription from Gherla, Rumania (Harmatta), and a letter from Darius to Gadates, preserved in a Greek text of the Roman period (F. Lochner-Hüttenbach, in Brandenstein and Mayrhofer, pp. 91-98) also belong to this category. The third source is a detailed and colorful narrative by Herodotus (books 3-6; cf. How and Wells). Finally, there are briefer notices by other classical authors (listed and analyzed by Meyer, pp. 3-7; Prášek, II, pp. 10-11; Drews, pp. 20 ff.) and a few references in the Bible i ).

How many people did Darius rule?

Darius ruled about 50 million people in the largest empire the world had seen (Meyer, p. 85). His subjects ( kāra) or their lands ( dahyu) were several times listed, and also depicted, in varying order at Bīsotūn and Persepolis (Junge, 1944, pp. 132-59; Kent, 1943; Ehtécham, pp. 131-63; Walser; Hinz, 1969, pp. 95-113; Calmeyer), but the definitive account is carved on his tomb ( EIr. V, p. 722 fig. 46). In the relief on his tomb Darius and his royal fire are depicted upon the imperial “throne” supported by thirty figures of equal status, who symbolize the nations of the empire, as explained in the accompanying inscription (DNa 38-42). The text reflects Darius’ status, ideals, and achievements. He introduces himself as “Great King, King of Kings, King of countries containing all kinds of men, King in this great earth far and wide, son of Hystaspes, an Achaemenian, a Persian, son of a Persian, an Aryan [=Iranian], having Aryan lineage” (DNa 8-15; Kent, Old Persian, p. 138). Next “the countries other than Persis” are enumerated in what is clearly intended to be a geographical order. According to Herodotus (3.89), Darius “joined together in one province the nations that were neighbors, but sometimes he passed over the nearer tribes and gave their places to more remote ones.” Applying this scheme to the lands recorded in the record relief, it is possible to distinguish, beside Persis, six groups of nations, recalling the traditional Iranian division of the world into seven regions (Shahbazi, 1983, pp. 243-46 and fig. 3; cf. Plato, Leges, 3.695c, where it is reported that power was divided among seven leading Persians). The sevenfold division of Darius’ empire, revealing his geographical conception, is as follows: (1) the central region, Persis (Pārsa), which paid no tribute, though some of its districts sent commodities (Herodotus, 3.97; Koch; cf. Briant, pp. 342-501), possibly to pay for garrisons; (2) the western region encompassing Media (Māda) and Elam (Ūja); (3) the Iranian plateau encompassing Parthia (Parθava), Aria (Haraiva), Bactria (Bāxtri), Sogdiana (Sugda), Chorasmia (Uvārazmiya), and Drangiana (Zrankā; cf. Herodotus, 3.93, according to whom these lands paid little tribute); the borderlands: Arachosia (Harauvati), Sattagydia (atagu), Gandara (Gandāra), Sind (Hindu), and eastern Scythia (Sakā); (5) the western lowlands: Babylonia (Bābiru), Assyria (Aθurā), Arabia (Arabāya), and Egypt (Mudrāya); (6) the northwestern region encompassing Armenia (Armina), Cappadocia (Katpatuka), Lydia (Sparda), Overseas Scythians (Sakā tyaiy paradraya), Skudra, and Petasos-Wearing Greeks (Yaunā takabarā); and (7) the southern coastal regions: Libya (Putāyā), Ethiopia (Kūša), Maka (Maciya), and Caria (Karka, i.e., the Carian colony on the Persian Gulf; Schaeder, 1932, p. 270; Shahbazi, 1983, p. 245 n. 28; Figure 2).

Where did Darius write his autobiography?

Darius began his “autobiography” in the trilingual (Old Persian, Elamite, Babylonian) inscription on the rock face at Bīsotūn with a genealogy purporting to establish his right to the Achaemenid throne (DB 1.1-11; Table 2 ), followed by a long account of the Magian usurper Gaumāta (DB 1.26-61).

What does Darius' insistence that all his opponents lied arouse?

First, Darius’ insistence that all his opponents lied arouses suspicion of his own trustworthiness, especially as Herodotus (3.72) had quoted Darius as defending a justifiable untruth (Olmstead, 1938, p. 397; cf. Dandamaev, 1976, p. 121; Balcer, p. 59).

What was Darius' second and third regnal years?

Darius’ second and third regnal years were devoted to consolidating his authority. A fresh rebellion in Elam was suppressed by Gobryas (DB 5.3-14), and Oroetes, satrap of Sardis, was executed for the murders of Polycrates, tyrant of Samos; Mithrobates, satrap of Phrygia; and the latter’s son (Herodotus, 3.120-29).

What did Darius I do?

Darius I The Great begins construction of the city of Persepolis . Darius I moves the capital of Persia from Pasargadae to Persepolis .

When did Darius the Great take over?

522 BCE. Darius I ( Darius the Great) succeeds to the throne of Persia after the death of Cambyses II . 522 BCE. The Persian satrapy of Armenia briefly cedes from the Achaemenid Empire but is brought under control by Darius I . 522 BCE - 486 BCE.

Who did Darius I of Persia fight against?

Darius I of Persia campaigns against Scythians into European Scythia, past the Danube River, Scythians refuse to fight and Darius is forced to abandon the campaign due to lack of provisions. Ionian cities rebel against Persian rule. Naxos is attacked by Darius ' Persian forces. Darius I of Persia invades Greece .

Who was Darius the Great?

This has caused Bible scholars to posit that Darius was appointed viceroy over Babylon by his nephew, King Cyrus. The book of Ezra mentions another king named Darius, also known as Darius I or Darius the Great. This was the son of Hystaspes, a king of Parsa. Darius I ruled Persia from about 521 to 486 BC. Darius I is presented in Ezra as ...

Who was the king who preceded Darius?

In that case, Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes refer to the same person—the king who immediately preceded Darius.

What did Darius say to Daniel?

When he saw that Daniel was unhurt by the lions, Darius decreed that “people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end” ( Daniel 6:1–28 ). It is possible that Daniel used the word Darius ...

Where in the Bible does it mention Darius?

Answer. There are three references to rulers named Darius in the Bible. The first, chronologically, occurs in the book of Daniel, where the ruler is called Darius the Mede ( Daniel 6:1 ). This Darius ruled for only two years (538–536 BC) and is best known as the ruler who promoted Daniel to a high position in the kingdom and then cast him into ...

Who was the king of Persia in 521 BC?

Darius I ruled Persia from about 521 to 486 BC. Darius I is presented in Ezra as a good king who helped the Israelites in several ways. Prior to Darius’s reign, the Jews who had returned from the Babylonian Captivity had begun rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem.

What is the name of the son of Cyrus?

The “Artaxerxes” in verse 7 is called, in other historical records, “Smerdis” or “Bardiya,” another son of Cyrus (or possibly an impostor taking his place). That king ruled only seven or eight months.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

In this episode, we discuss the ascension of Darius to the Persian throne; his consolidation of the empire and eastern campaigns; Zoroastrianism and the role Ahura-Mazda played in his reign; and his reform program, with a special focus on his creation of a new script (Old Persian), his new capital of Persepolis, his bureaucratic satrapies, the Royal Road, his "sort of" Red Sea/Nile River canal, and the creation of and influence of the gold "Daric".

033 - The "Great King" Darius

In this episode, we discuss the ascension of Darius to the Persian throne; his consolidation of the empire and eastern campaigns; Zoroastrianism and the role Ahura-Mazda played in his reign; and his reform program, with a special focus on his creation of a new script (Old Persian), his new capital of Persepolis, his bureaucratic satrapies, the Royal Road, his "sort of" Red Sea/Nile River canal, and the creation of and influence of the gold "Daric".

Rise to Power

Military Campaigns

Greco-Persian Wars

• In 499 BCE, Aristagoras, the tyrant of Miletus, convinced the satrap Artaphernes to sponsor a campaign against Naxos. Darius gave his consent and named Megabates, Artaphemes's cousin, as commander of the Persian army. They were supposed to be supported and supplied by Aristagoras, but a quarrel between Megabates and Aristagoras resulted in the form...

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Government

Economy & Building Projects

Death & Legacy

Overview

Bibliography

• Abbott, Jacob (2009), History of Darius the Great: Makers of History, Cosimo, Inc., ISBN 978-1-60520-835-0
• Abbott, Jacob (1850), History of Darius the Great, New York: Harper & Bros
• Balentine, Samuel (1999), The Torah's vision of worship, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, ISBN 978-0-8006-3155-0

Etymology

Primary sources

Early life

Early reign

Military campaigns

Family

Organization of The Empire

• Though Darius was an excellent soldier and extended his empire east, north, and into Europe, he saw himself as an organizer and lawgiver rather than as a mere conqueror. Little of his work was startlingly original, but the blending of the old and new and the interlocked ordering of the whole gave his work importance. He divided the empire into 20 h...

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Military Organization

Darius's Religion

War with The Greeks

Battle of Marathon

Further Reading

Early Life

Accession of Darius

Notable Accomplishments

• Darius expanded the Persian empire from the Sakas beyond Sogdianato the Kush, and from Sind to Sardis. He also refined and expanded the Persian satrapy form of administrative rule, dividing his empire into 20 pieces and providing each piece an authority (generally a relative) to rule over them, and placing additional security measures to reduce rev...

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Death and Legacy

Sources