N
TruthVerse News

Who is King Artaxerxes in the Bible?

Author

Christopher Duran

Updated on February 15, 2026

Who is King Artaxerxes in the Bible?

Artaxerxes I, (died 425 bc, Susa, Elam [now in Iran]), Achaemenid king of Persia (reigned 465–425 bc). He was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir (“Longhand”) and in Latin Longimanus. A younger son of Xerxes I and Amestris, he was raised to the throne by the commander of the guard, Artabanus, who had murdered Xerxes.

Also asked, who was the king of Persia in the Bible?

Cyrus the Great

Secondly, what is Artaxerxes in the Bible? ːrt?ˈz?ːrksiːz/, Old Persian: ???????????? Artaxšaça, "whose rule (xšaça < *xšaϑram) is through arta ("truth"); Hebrew: ???????????????????, Modern: ʾArta?šásta, Tiberian: ʾArta?šasetāʾ; Ancient Greek: ?ρταξέρξης, romanized: Artaxérxēs) was the sixth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, from 465-424 BC.

Likewise, is King Ahasuerus the same as Artaxerxes?

Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus, a royal Persian name occurring throughout the Old Testament. Immediately preceding Artaxerxes I in the line of Persian kings, Ahasuerus is evidently to be identified with Xerxes. No other name resembling Ahasuerus, nor any name like Darius, is to be found in the list of Median kings.

Is Artaxerxes the son of Esther?

This is the same King who married Esther in the famous story told in the Bible of Esther 1. The Book of Esther refers to him as Artaxerxes, and the historian Josephus relates that this was the name by which he was known to the Greeks. Ahasuerus is also given as the name of a King of Persia in the Book of Ezra.

What was Iran called in the Bible?

In the later parts of the Bible, where this kingdom is frequently mentioned (Books of Esther, Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah), it is called Paras (Biblical Hebrew: ???‎), or sometimes Paras u Madai (??? ????), i.e. "Persia and Media".

What is Persia called today?

Persia, historic region of southwestern Asia associated with the area that is now modern Iran. The people of that region have traditionally called their country Iran, “Land of the Aryans.” That name was officially adopted in 1935.

Is Darius and Cyrus the same person?

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 mysteriously in 522. Later that same year, Darius took the throne after killing an alleged usurper he claimed had only pretended to be Cambyses' brother Bardiya.

Who is the real Prince of Persia?

Prince (Prince of Persia)
The Prince
First gamePrince of Persia (1989)
Created byJordan Mechner
Designed byJordan Mechner Raphael Lacoste (Sands of Time) Mikael Labat, Nicolas Bouvier (Warrior Within)
Portrayed byJake Gyllenhaal (Original) William Foster (Young)

What is Iraq called in the Bible?

From the Garden of Eden to Abraham, Daniel in the lions' den and the Tower of Babel, the ancient land now known as Iraq is considered the birthplace of the Bible. Mesopotamia, literally the land between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, is the reason this land is so lush.

Is Persia in the Bible?

According to the Bible, Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, was the monarch under whom the Babylonian captivity ended. In the first year of his reign he was prompted by God to decree that the Temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt and that such Jews as cared to might return to their land for this purpose.

Where in the Bible is King Cyrus mentioned?

This allowed Jews to return to the area now known as Israel and build a temple in Jerusalem. Cyrus is referenced most prominently in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, in which he appears as a figure of deliverance.

Why did Vashti refuse king?

She was banished for her refusal to appear at the king's banquet to show her beauty as the king wished, and Esther was chosen to succeed her as queen. In the Midrash, Vashti is described as wicked and vain. She is viewed as an independent-minded heroine in feminist interpretations of the Purim story.

Who married Queen Esther?

Esther
Esther, biblical character
Queen Esther (1879) by Edwin Long
PredecessorVashti
BornHadassah Achaemenid Empire
SpouseAhasuerus

Was Esther the mother of Artaxerxes?

Jewish tradition relates that Esther was the mother of a King Darius and so some try to identify Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes I and Esther with Kosmartydene. Depending on the interpretation of Esther 2:5–6, Mordecai or his great-grandfather Kish was carried away from Jerusalem with Jeconiah by Nebuchadnezzar, in 597 BC.

What happened king Ahasuerus?

Like his father and predecessor Darius I, he ruled the empire at its territorial apex. He ruled from 486 BC until his assassination in 465 BC at the hands of Artabanus, the commander of the royal bodyguard. Xerxes I is notable in Western history for his failed invasion of Greece in 480 BC.

What kind of king was Ahasuerus?

Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus, a royal Persian name occurring throughout the Old Testament. Immediately preceding Artaxerxes I in the line of Persian kings, Ahasuerus is evidently to be identified with Xerxes.

When was Queen Esther born and died?

Achaemenid Empire

Who came first Darius or Cyrus?

According to Herodotus, Darius, when a youth, was suspected by Cyrus II the Great (who ruled from 559 to 529 bc) of plotting against the throne. Later Darius was in Egypt with Cambyses II, the son of Cyrus and heir to his kingdom, as a member of the royal bodyguard.

What does Darius mean?

Darius (Persian: ??????) is a male given name. Etymologically it is the English transliteration of the Persian name Dariush, meaning "he possesses" or "rich and kingly".

Is Darius an artaxerxes?

Artaxerxes was probably born in the reign of his grandfather Darius I, to the emperor's son and heir, Xerxes I. But according to Aristotle (in Politics 5.1311b), Artabanus killed Darius first and then killed Xerxes. After Artaxerxes discovered the murder, he killed Artabanus and his sons.

Who killed artaxerxes?

Xerxes II reigned for only a little over a month, however, before he was assassinated by Sogdianus. Sogdianus had the support of a segment of the nobles and ruled for six months before he was assassinated by his half-brother Nochus (also given as Ochus) who took the throne name Darius II.

Who was Nehemiah's King?

Nehemiah. Nehemiah, also spelled Nehemias, (flourished 5th century bc), Jewish leader who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem in the mid-5th century bc after his release from captivity by the Persian king Artaxerxes I. He also instituted extensive moral and liturgical reforms in rededicating the Jews to Yahweh.

When did King Artaxerxes rule?

Artaxerxes I, (died 425 bc, Susa, Elam [now in Iran]), Achaemenid king of Persia (reigned 465–425 bc). He was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir (“Longhand”) and in Latin Longimanus. A younger son of Xerxes I and Amestris, he was raised to the throne by the commander of the guard, Artabanus, who had murdered Xerxes.

Who was artaxerxes mother?

Amestris

Who was artaxerxes father?

Xerxes I

Which Persian king's reign was between the reigns of Artaxerxes and Darius?

bce, under the rule of Artaxerxes I (ruled 465–425 bce) and Darius II Ochus…

When did Jerusalem rebuild the decree?

In the 20th year of Artaxerxes I (445 or 444 BC), Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king. Learning that the remnant of Jews in Judah were in distress and that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, he asked the king for permission to return and rebuild the city.

What was a cupbearer to the king?

A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold the position.

Did Ezra and Nehemiah work together?

The order of the two figures, Ezra and Nehemiah, is perhaps the most debated issue regarding the book. If this was Artaxerxes I (465–424 BC), then Ezra arrived in 458 and Nehemiah in 445 BC. Nehemiah 8–9, in which the two (possibly by editorial error) appear together, supports this scenario.

Who was Ahasuerus in the Book of Ezra?

In Ezra 4:6 Ahasuerus is mentioned as a king of Persia, to whom the enemies of the Jews sent representations opposing the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem. He thus occupies a place in a chronological series of those Persian rulers who were directly concerned with events of Jewish history.

Who was Nehemiah parents?

Hachaliah

Did Nehemiah return to Persia?

Nehemiah then apparently served as governor of the small district of Judea for 12 years, during which he undertook various religious and economic reforms before returning to Persia.

What was the role of a cupbearer?

Cup-bearer. A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold the position.

Why did Nehemiah leave Babylon?

Nehemiah requested a temporary leave of absence to go to Judah in order to rebuild Jerusalem and repair its city walls and his request was approved by the king. For this purpose, he was given permission to cut down woods and was escorted by the army.