Xerxes I

The fourth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, Xerxes I, also referred to as Xerxes the Great, ruled from 486 to 465 BC. His mother, Atossa, was a descendant of Cyrus the Great (r. 550–530 BC), who established the Achaemenid kingdom. He was the son and successor of Darius the Great (r. 522-486 BC). He oversaw the empire at its geographic peak, just like his father. He governed from 486 BC until Artabanus, the leader of the royal bodyguard, assassinated him in 465 BC.

Western history remembers Xerxes I for invading Greece in 480 BC. His armies briefly took control of mainland Greece north of the Isthmus of Corinth until defeats at Salamis and Plataea a year later undid these gains and effectively put an end to the second invasion. However, Xerxes was able to put down uprisings in Babylon and Egypt. Additionally, Xerxes oversaw the conclusion of numerous building projects at Susa and Persepolis.

The biblical Book of Esther, which some historians, like Eduard Schwartz, William Rainey Harper, and Michael V. Fox, regard to be historical romance, identifies Xerxes with the king Ahasuerus. However, there isn't even close to agreement on what historical event served as the inspiration for the tale.