Reference.com

24 results for: Xerxes

Dictionary Entries (1 more entry. View all »)
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Cite This Source
Xerx·es I    Audio Help   [zurk-seez] Pronunciation Key
–noun
519?–465 b.c., king of Persia 486?–465 (son of Darius I).
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopedia Articles (21 more entries. View all »)
Columbia Electronic EncyclopediaCite This Source


Xerxes I (Xerxes the Great), d. 465 B.C., king of ancient Persia (486-465 B.C.). His name in Old Persian is Khshayarsha, in the Bible Ahasuerus. He was the son of Darius I and Atossa, daughter of Cyrus the Great. After bringing (484 BC.) Egypt once more under Persian rule, Xerxes prepared for an invasion of Greece (see Persian Wars) by constructing a bridge of boats across the Hellespont and cutting a canal through the isthmus of Athos. Setting out from Sardis, he marched through Thrace and Macedonia and, despite the bravery of Leonidas and his 300 Spartans, overthrew (480) the Lacedaemonians at Thermopylae. He then occupied and pillaged Athens. In the same year his fleet was destroyed at Salamis. Leaving an army under his general, Mardonius, he retired into Asia. He was slain by the captain of his bodyguard and was succeeded by his son Artaxerxes I.

See P. Green, Xerxes at Salamis (1970).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004, Columbia University Press.
Licensed from Columbia University Press




View results from: Dictionary | Thesaurus | Encyclopedia | All Reference | the Web


Thesaurus: No results found. Would you like to search the Web for Xerxes?







Perform a new search, or try your search for "Xerxes" at: