Other Events

Other Events

Early in Xerxes I’s reign, Egypt rebelled against Persian rule. He took an army to Egypt to subdueit and left one of his brothers to rule Egypt. Xerxes I’s required all his territories to provide goods or troops for his invasion of Greece. Egypt had to give the navy ropes and provided 200 triremesunder the command of King Xerxes’s brother.

Babylon also rebelled against Xerxes I early in his reign. He defeated the rebels and then the records of his actions are unclear. Some ancient historians claimed that Xerxes I destroyedBabylon’s temples. Other records say that the temples were active after his reign. The records say that he removed a statue from a temple and melted it down but some records say this statue was not of a deity.

As the years went by and Xerxes himself grew older, his desire to be king of all dwindled, and he settled into comfort in his three capital cities – Susa , Ecbatana , and Persepolis. Troubles across the world had taken a toll on the Achaemenid Empire, as well as the repeated military losses and changes in the way the world around Persia functioned. But as Xerxes let himself enjoy life to the fullest, his empire suffered.

Xerxes I also had to deal with people attempting to usurp his throne. His brother, Masistes, may have been involved with one of these attempts. The records agree that Xerxes I executed Masistes and his family. Yet, they disagree about why this event occurred. Some imply that Xerxes I had an affair with his brother’s daughter and this led to the executions.

Others say that the girl asked Xerxes I for a gift that would have granted her family power equal to the king’s. This was a method of usurping power for her family and angered the queen. She started killing the members of Masistes’ family and Xerxes I executed his brother. Xerxes I and his heir, Darius were killed during a palace plot in 465 B.C.

Ahura Mazda

Xerxes I worshiped Ahura Mazda, a deity from the Zoroastrian religion. Extant records do not state that Xerxes I was a Zoroastrian but they do say he worshiped Ahura Mazda. Many of his inscriptions mention what he had done or things he had built in Ahura Mazda’s name. During the Achaemenid Period, no images were made of Ahura Mazda. Instead, the kings brought an empty chariot drawn by white horses when they went into battle. They believed this encouraged Ahura Mazda to travel with the army and grant them victory.