Xerxes, officially known as Xerxes the Great, was the fourth King of Kings of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 486 BC until his assassination in 465 BC. Born to Darius the Great and Atossa, Xerxes ascended to the throne following his father’s death. As ruler, his reign was characterized by his grand architectural projects and military campaigns, notable among them being the second Persian invasion of Greece. Although he was initially successful in his Greek invasion, Xerxes’ overambition led to his downfall. Following a series of defeats at the hands of the Greek city-states, including the historic battles of Thermopylae and Salamis, Persian dominance started to crumble. Despite the immense wealth and resources at his disposal, Xerxes could not fulfill his father’s dream of subduing Greece. His reign, though marked by impressive architectural feats such as the completion of the royal palace at Persepolis, came to a violent end when he was assassinated by Artabanus, the commander of the royal bodyguard.
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