Download or read book Xerxes written by Richard Stoneman and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2015-08-15 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Xerxes, Great King of the Persian Empire from 486–465 B.C., has gone down in history as an angry tyrant full of insane ambition. The stand of Leonidas and the 300 against his army at Thermopylae is a byword for courage, while the failure of Xerxes’ expedition has overshadowed all the other achievements of his twenty-two-year reign. In this lively and comprehensive new biography, Richard Stoneman shows how Xerxes, despite sympathetic treatment by the contemporary Greek writers Aeschylus and Herodotus, had his reputation destroyed by later Greek writers and by the propaganda of Alexander the Great. Stoneman draws on the latest research in Achaemenid studies and archaeology to present the ruler from the Persian perspective. This illuminating volume does not whitewash Xerxes’ failings but sets against them such triumphs as the architectural splendor of Persepolis and a consideration of Xerxes’ religious commitments. What emerges is a nuanced portrait of a man who ruled a vast and multicultural empire which the Greek communities of the West saw as the antithesis of their own values.
Download or read book Persae written by Aeschylus and published by . This book was released on 1903 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Xerxes written by Richard Stoneman and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-01 with total page 313 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this lively and comprehensive new biography, Richard Stoneman shows how Xerxes, despite sympathetic treatment by the contemporary Greek writers Aeschylus and Herodotus, had his reputation destroyed by later Greek writers and by the propaganda of Alexander the Great. Stoneman draws on the latest research in Achaemenid studies and archaeology to present the ruler from the Persian perspective."--Publisher's website.
Download or read book King and Court in Ancient Persia 559 to 331 BCE written by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones and published by Edinburgh University Press. This book was released on 2014-02-14 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the representation of Persian monarchy and the court of the Achaemenid Great Kings from the point of view of the ancient Iranians themselves and through the sometimes distorted prism of Classical authors.
Download or read book Xerxes The Fall of the House of Darius and the Rise of Alexander written by Frank Miller and published by Dark Horse Comics. This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historical epic, set in the world of 300, tells of the upsurge and decline of the Persian King's empire, and the ascent of the Grecian realm through Alexander. Written and illustrated by comics luminary and legend, Frank Miller (Sin City, The Dark Knight, 300), and colored by Alex Sinclair (Batman: The Dark Knight III: The Master Race), this companion to Miller's epic masterpiece, 300, brings the historical story of Xerxes to the graphic novel audience with grit and visual style! The ongoing Greek rebellion against Persian tyranny reaches a turning point after the destruction of the city of Sardis and the later battle of Marathon: on a military campaign to vanquish the city of Athens and silence the Greeks once and for all, Xerxes, Persian Prince, watches as his father, King Darius, falls in battle . . . The mantle of king is passed and while his newly-inherited fleet retreats toward home, Xerxes' hatred is cemented toward Athens--and his incentive to build the Persian empire is fueled. Xerxes becomes the king of all countries--the king of Persia, ruler of Zion, and Pharoah of Egypt--and his empire is unlike any the world has ever seen, until . . . The mantle is again passed, the god king dies and Darius III continues as the king of all. But then, from the west, a tiger force strikes in Asia Minor and is on a course for collision with Persian forces. This will be the beginning of the end for Persia and the launch of Alexander the Great's rise to power!
Download or read book From Cyrus to Alexander written by Pierre Briant and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2002-06-23 with total page 1217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Around 550 B.C.E. the Persian people—who were previously practically unknown in the annals of history—emerged from their base in southern Iran (Fars) and engaged in a monumental adventure that, under the leadership of Cyrus the Great and his successors, culminated in the creation of an immense Empire that stretched from central Asia to Upper Egypt, from the Indus to the Danube. The Persian (or Achaemenid, named for its reigning dynasty) Empire assimilated an astonishing diversity of lands, peoples, languages, and cultures. This conquest of Near Eastern lands completely altered the history of the world: for the first time, a monolithic State as vast as the future Roman Empire arose, expanded, and matured in the course of more than two centuries (530–330) and endured until the death of Alexander the Great (323), who from a geopolitical perspective was “the last of the Achaemenids.” Even today, the remains of the Empire-the terraces, palaces, reliefs, paintings, and enameled bricks of Pasargadae, Persepolis, and Susa; the impressive royal tombs of Naqsh-i Rustam; the monumental statue of Darius the Great-serve to remind visitors of the power and unprecedented luxury of the Great Kings and their loyal courtiers (the “Faithful Ones”). Though long eclipsed and overshadowed by the towering prestige of the “ancient Orient” and “eternal Greece,” Achaemenid history has emerged into fresh light during the last two decades. Freed from the tattered rags of “Oriental decadence” and “Asiatic stagnation,” research has also benefited from a continually growing number of discoveries that have provided important new evidence-including texts, as well as archaeological, numismatic, and iconographic artifacts. The evidence that this book assembles is voluminous and diverse: the citations of ancient documents and of the archaeological evidence permit the reader to follow the author in his role as a historian who, across space and time, attempts to understand how such an Empire emerged, developed, and faded. Though firmly grounded in the evidence, the author’s discussions do not avoid persistent questions and regularly engages divergent interpretations and alternative hypotheses. This book is without precedent or equivalent, and also offers an exhaustive bibliography and thorough indexes. The French publication of this magisterial work in 1996 was acclaimed in newspapers and literary journals. Now Histoire de l’Empire Perse: De Cyrus a Alexandre is translated in its entirety in a revised edition, with the author himself reviewing the translation, correcting the original edition, and adding new documentation. Pierre Briant, Chaire Histoire et civilisation du monde achémenide et de l’empire d’Alexandre, Collège de France, is a specialist in the history of the Near East during the era of the Persian Empire and the conquests of Alexander. He is the author of numerous books. Peter T. Daniels, the translator, is an independent scholar, editor, and translator who studied at Cornell University and the University of Chicago. He lives and works in New York City.
Download or read book King Xerxes I written by Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2019-08-31 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes excerpts of ancient accounts *Includes a bibliography for further reading One of the Persian Empire's most famous figures is King Xerxes I, if only because he led the Second Persian War against the Greeks. Thanks to legendary clashes at Thermopylae and Salamis, the Persian leader has remained legendary, and the war was a veritable clash of civilizations. Had the Persians triumphed, the Golden Age of Athens would have been snuffed out, and Greece would never have formed the backbone of Roman and Western culture. Simply put, the West as it is today might never have existed. Not surprisingly, the majority of surviving sources regarding Xerxes are the product of Greek writers, so it was inevitable that the Persian king has been depicted in unflattering terms for thousands of years. The details of his invasion of Greece cast him as the villain in the dramatic Greek retelling of the tragic 300 Spartans holding the pass at Thermopylae, and focus on the loss at Salamis that solidified his reputation as a failure despite another 15 years of successful rule after withdrawing from the Greek mainland. Although Herodotus's Histories offer a less biased account than some later sources, he still depicted Xerxes as a figure of tragic failings, listening too often to the wrong councilors and eventually collapsing on the weight of his own hubris. This classic appearance as a tragic hero figure gives some pause for doubt, as the literary stereotype is almost too perfect and suggests a lack of depth and nuance that characterizes all accurate investigations of historical individuals. These early images were only exacerbated by Alexander the Great and his biographers, who maintained a fiery hatred toward Xerxes for his burning of Athens. They targeted many of his building projects after their capture of Persepolis, and they pushed an even bleaker picture of the king, one of an idle, indolent, cowardly, and corrupt ruler. The continuation of this can be traced throughout the passing centuries - Plato considered Xerxes to be a poor reflection of a great father, and another contemporary, Lysias, wrote in his Funeral Oration how Xerxes "had held Greece in contempt, but had been deceived in his hopes, who was dishonored by the event, galled by the disaster, and angered against its authors, and who was unused to ill-hap and unacquainted with true men." Sir Walter Raleigh wrote a History of the World in which, despite including an anecdote in which Alexander considered re-erecting a statue of Xerxes due to the king's virtues, he went on to describe Xerxes as impious, brutal, wicked, foolish, cowardly, and merciless. Author Henry Rawlinson, writing in 1867, claimed that Xerxes's character was far inferior to his more admirable predecessors, while David Stronach asserted in 1978 that Xerxes was significantly less intelligent than his father had been. As usual, the truth lies far more towards the middle, even as Xerxes's frequent portrayal as the villain in the story of a fierce, brave defense of Greece against overwhelming odds has made him a less than popular subject for biographers and historical investigations. However, a few individuals have undertaken to explore the true complexities of his character, and through these works and a few ancient sources, most particularly Herodotus, a more accurate picture can be derived, even if the bias of Greek accounts still colors the information. In reality, very little objective information exists as to the personality and character of the king, so the truth must be estimated through a careful interpretation of his deeds. King Xerxes I: The Life and Legacy of the Achaemenid Persian Empire's Most Notorious Ruler looks at the life of the Persian leader and the major conflicts he led. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Xerxes like never before.
Download or read book Imagining Xerxes written by Emma Bridges and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-11-20 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Xerxes, the Persian king who invaded Greece in 480 BC, quickly earned a notoriety that endured throughout antiquity and beyond. The Greeks' historical encounter with this eastern king – which resulted, against overwhelming odds, in the defeat of the Persian army – has inspired a series of literary responses to Xerxes in which he is variously portrayed as the archetypal destructive and enslaving aggressor, as the epitome of arrogance and impiety, or as a figure synonymous with the exoticism and luxury of the Persian court. Imagining Xerxes is a transhistorical analysis that explores the richness and variety of Xerxes' afterlives within the ancient literary tradition. It examines the earliest representations of the king, in Aeschylus' tragic play Persians and Herodotus' historiographical account of the Persian Wars, before tracing the ways in which the image of Xerxes was revisited and adapted in later Greek and Latin texts. The author also looks beyond the Hellenocentric viewpoint to consider the construction of Xerxes' image in the Persian epigraphic record and the alternative perspectives on the king found in the Jewish written tradition. Analysing these diverse representations of Xerxes, this title explores the reception of a key figure in the ancient world and the reinvention of his image in a remarkable array of cultural and historical contexts.
Download or read book Xerxes written by Ren A. Hakim and published by . This book was released on 2006-02-01 with total page 621 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There was once another world superpower that was a great melting pot of cultures, a champion of human rights, a forerunner in transit, communication, an economic reformer and a codifier of laws. It was an empire built in the pursuit of unity and the expulsion of evil. Indeed, its architects believed themselves ordained to enforce the will of good; that, in order to ensure peace prevailed on earth, they, as its mandated guardians, had to rule it. The kingdom flourished. Its standard, the eagle, was esteemed by those encompassed by its borders. Its leaders were respected as wise and benevolent, with little exception. Bearing this in mind, one can imagine the incredulity felt throughout the empire when an enemy few had ever heard of crossed the sea and set one of their prestigious capitals afire. The tragedy was labeled an unprovoked attack, perpetrated by evildoers, and incited a near-unanimous demand for revenge. The call would later be satisfied by an ambitious visionary. Little did he know, in bringing to fruition the uncompleted plans of his predecessor, his father, he would also fulfill Biblical prophesy. 'Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all, and by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia." Daniel 11:2 To the Persians, this imperial ruler was known as Khashayarshah, 'King of Heroes'. To the Hebrews, he was Ahasuerus, who married the Biblical Esther and crowned her queen. To the Greeks, he was a force believed unstoppable, whose name wassynonymous with Ares and Zeus -- Xerxes. In 480 B.C., Xerxes led an unprecedented army of nations on a retributive attack against Athens in what would come to be known as the second Greco-Persian War. While one of the most famed campaigns in history, notably for the Battle of Thermopylae, its profundity has been lost in translation and minimized as failed exercise in hegemony. This myopic perception continues to be perpetuated in print, art and on the screen. Greece, at that time, was an extremely fractured nation. Its city-states were constantly at odds with one another. Greek exiles from prominent houses, former and reigning kings entreated Xerxes to take up their cause: to invade the country and bring it into the empire's fold. They were not the only ones begging his ear. The cry for punitive action against the evildoers of Athens continued to sound. Talk of destiny and ideology resonated and ultimately convinced him that military action was not only necessary, but the moral, fated course to take. He would wage war against enemies of the empire and rebuild a nation, too. At least.that was the plan. These events and their consequences have been debated by archeologists, Biblical scholars and other historians for over two millenniums. They have also inspired numerous artisans, including Rembrandt van Rijn, Michelangelo Buonarroti, and the baroque composer, George Frederick Handel. Now, in her 'novelized" screenplay, Xerxes , author Ren A. Hakim tells the tale of the most feared and revered figure of his time, breathing new life into the emperor -- revealing the man. Whether one is a lover of history, action and adventure, spicy intrigue, romance, or looking to take a palpable journey with an identifiable character, they will find what they seek in Xerxes. Deeply moving and richly-layered, it is provocative story which fits many genres, explores timeless themes, and illustrates a past so shockingly parallel with the present, it may change the way people view the current state of world affairs.
Download or read book The Histories Book 7 Polymnia written by Herodotus and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-08-24 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who lived in the fifth century BC (c.484 - 425 BC). He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a well-constructed and vivid narrative. The Histories-his masterpiece and the only work he is known to have produced-is a record of his "inquiry", being an investigation of the origins of the Greco-Persian Wars and including a wealth of geographical and ethnographical information. The Histories, were divided into nine books, named after the nine Muses: the "Muse of History", Clio, representing the first book, then Euterpe, Thaleia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polymnia, Ourania and Calliope for books 2 to 9, respectively.
Download or read book History of Xerxes the Great written by Jacob Abbott and published by . This book was released on 1850 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book History of Xerxes the Great Etc written by Jacob ABBOTT and published by . This book was released on 1850 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Xerxes written by Jacob Abbott and published by Good Press. This book was released on 2019-11-26 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Xerxes is a historical biography by Jacob Abbott. Xerxes I, generally known as Xerxes the Great, was the fourth King of the Achaemenid Empire in modern day Persia, ruling from 486 to 465 BC. Excerpt: "As the Pass of Thermopylæ was now in Xerxes's possession, the way was open before him to all that portion of the great territory which lay north of the Peloponnesus. Of course, before [Pg 225]he could enter the peninsula itself, he must pass the Isthmus of Corinth, where he might, perhaps, encounter some concentrated resistance. North of the isthmus, however, there was no place where the Greeks could make a stand. The country was all open, or, rather, there were a thousand ways open through the various valleys and glens, and along the banks of the rivers. All that was necessary was to procure guides and proceed."
Download or read book Xerxes Invades Greece written by Herodotus and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2006-05-04 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A king who would be worshipped as a god... When Xerxes, King of Persia, crosses the Hellespont at the head of a formidable army, it seems inevitable that Greece will be crushed beneath its might. But the Greeks are far harder to defeat than he could ever have imagined. As storms lash the Persian ships, and sinister omens predict a cruel fate for the expedition, Xerxes strives onward, certain his enemies will accept him as their king. But as he soon discovers, the Greeks will sacrifice anything, even their lives, to keep their liberty...
Download or read book Xerxes written by Ian McGregor-Morris and published by Pen & Sword. This book was released on 2014-09-30 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Xsaya-rsa (Khshayarshan) to the Persians, Ahasuerus to the Jews, Xerxes to the Greeks. So great was his power, that he was hailed by the Persians as 'King of Kings', and by the Greeks as "The Great King". Famed for his beauty and magnificence, he ruled over the greatest empire the world had known, and built cities the like of which the world had never seen. He was the king who re-conquered Egypt and subdued the rebels of Babylon; he was the king who captured Athens and burnt the temples of the Acropolis; and of course he was the king who defeated Leonidas, the greatest of the Warrior-Kings of Sparta. Some claim that he was the king who saved the Jews. The life of Xerxes, however, has never been told - until now. Ian McGregor Morris brings together a variety of evidence, literary and archaeological, to create a nuanced account that fully takes into account the context of fifth-century Persia. Morris reviews the background of Xerxes' upbringing and his early taste of power, the problems of the succession, and the challenges he faced as a new king. The Greek expedition will be considered from a Persian perspective, while the effect of its failure on Persian policy in general, and on Xerxes in particular, forms a major theme of the later chapters. The character of Xerxes, so often depicted as hubristic, will be reexamined in terms of notions of Persian kingship, while his domestic policies on issues such as religious tolerance and the ambitious building programs will be seen in light of the political events of the period. To those who know Xerxes only as the sadistic but effeminate poser in gold underpants from the 300 films (300 II is due out in March 2014), it will show a real man who is far more impressive.
Download or read book History of the Persian Empire written by A. T. Olmstead and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2022-08-29 with total page 671 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Out of a lifetime of study of the ancient Near East, Professor Olmstead has gathered previously unknown material into the story of the life, times, and thought of the Persians, told for the first time from the Persian rather than the traditional Greek point of view. "The fullest and most reliable presentation of the history of the Persian Empire in existence."—M. Rostovtzeff
