Xerces I King Of Persia

        Persia, which is now called Iran, has seen many battles and wars. Some battles ended in victory, while others ended in defeat. However, at one point in time, Persia was a very powerful empire.  Persia has also had many different leaders.  One of their most famous kings happens to be Xerxes I.

        Xerxes I was born in 519 B.C.  He took control of Persia after his father Darius had died in battle. Xerxes had his highs and lows as a ruler.  For some time, Xerxes also ruled Egypt.  Xerxes lead Persia into one of the most famous battles of all time, but he also led his army into a terrible defeat.  After the battle at Salamis, in which Persia lost, Xerxes lived a quite life.  He spent his time devoted to the “intrigues of the harmen.” In 465 B.C., Xerxes was stabbed to death allegedly by his lesser Artabanus. After Xerxes’s death, his son Artaxerxes became the new ruler of Persia. 

        Xerxes is probably most famous for leading Persia into an infamous battle with Sparta. The Persians were on their way to Athens when they crossed Hellespont and stumbled into Thermopylae. The Persians greatly outnumbered Sparta’s army of 300 but it was still a grueling battle between the two.  Xerxes’s army emerged victorious, but they were weakened greatly by Sparta. After the fight was over, Xerxes continued to Athens.

         Xerxes was on the way to Athens to avenge Persia for a battle they had lost about ten years prior.  When Persia had finally reached Athens they found that the city had been mostly evacuated they set fire to many of the temples.  Themistocles, King of Athens, sent a slave to trick the Persian army into a strait of Salamis where the Greeks could defeat them no matter how large the Persian army was.  Xerxes stayed behind to watch his army in what he thought would be victory, but when he saw that his army was going to lose, he retreated to Persepolis.  This is the defeat that resulted in Xerxes living a quiet life.

        Xerxes I was King of Persia.  He brought both victory and defeat to Persia. Xerxes ruled for quite some time.  After leading Persia into a devastating loss, Xerxes lived a very inactive life.  Eventually, Xerxes was stabbed to death and succeed by his son Artaxerxes.

Essay By: Alexis L