Darius II

"Darius II" redirects here. See also Darius II (arcade game).

Darius II (Dārayavahuš), was king of the Persian Empire from 423 BC to 405 BC.^[1]

Artaxerxes I, who died on December 25, 424 BC, was followed by his son Xerxes II. After a month and a half Xerxes II was murdered by his brother Secydianus or Sogdianus (the form of the name is uncertain). His illegitimate brother, Ochus, satrap of Hyrcania, rebelled against Sogdianus, and after a short fight killed him, and suppressed by treachery the attempt of his own brother Arsites to imitate his example. Ochus adopted the name Darius (Greek sources often call him Darius Nothos, "Bastard"). Neither the names Xerxes II nor Sogdianus occur in the dates of the numerous Babylonian tablets from Nippur; here effectively the reign of Darius II follows immediately after that of Artaxerxes I.

Historians know very little about Darius II's reign. A rebellion by the Medes in 409 BC is mentioned by Xenophon. It does seem that Darius II was quite dependent on his wife Parysatis. In excerpts from Ctesias some harem intrigues are recorded, in which he played a disreputable part.

It is likely that Ezra and Nehemiah were alive during this monarch's reign, as it was approximately at this time that the new walls of Jerusalem, demolished during the Babylonian period, were rebuilt ^[2].

As long as the power of Athens remained intact he did not meddle in Greek affairs. When in 413 BC, Athens supported the rebel Amorges in Caria, Darius would not have responded had not the Athenian power been broken in the same year at Syracuse. As a result of that event, Darius II gave orders to his satraps in Asia Minor, Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus, to send in the overdue tribute of the Greek towns and to begin a war with Athens. To support the war with Athens, the Persian satraps entered into an alliance with Sparta. In 408 BC he sent his son Cyrus to Asia Minor, to carry on the war with greater energy.

Darius II died in 405 BC, in the nineteenth year of his reign, and was followed as Persian king by Artaxerxes II.

Offspring

By Parysatis: Artaxerxes II; Cyrus the Younger; Oxathres or Oxendares or Oxendras; Artoxexes; Ostanes; Amestris wife of Teritouchmes & then Artaxerxes II; & seven other unnamed children

By other wives: Artostes; The unnamed satrap of Media at 401 B.C.

References

^ Brill's New Pauly, "Darius".
^ "The compiler, unable to distinguish between the Persian kings thought “year seven of Darius” meant Darius I. It was impossible, so he rejected it in favour of Artaxerxes, who had already been mentioned in the context of Nehemiah, because the two men were together at the dedication. Ezra really came in year seven of Darius II specially to dedicate the walls and to introduce the new law" from http://www.askwhy.co.uk/judaism/0290Ezra.php extracted 26/5/2011

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Darius II Achaemenid dynasty Born: ?? Died: 404 BC
Preceded by Sogdianus	The Great King of Persia 423 BC – 404 BC	Succeeded by Artaxerxes II
	Pharaoh of Egypt 423–404	Succeeded by Amyrtaeus

Median and Achaemenid kings

Achaemenid family tree

Median Empire (728 – 550 BC)	Deioces · Phraortes · Madius · Cyaxares · Astyages

Achaemenid Empire (550 – 330 BC)	Achaemenes† · Ariaramnes† · Arsames† · Teispes · Cyrus I · Cambyses I · Cyrus II, the Great · Cambyses II · Smerdis · Darius I, the Great · Xerxes I · Artaxerxes I Longimanus · Xerxes II · Sogdianus · Darius II Nothus · Artaxerxes II Mnemon · Artaxerxes III Ochus · Artaxerxes IV Arses · Darius III Codomannus

† not directly attested, possibly legendary

Pharaohs (list)

Dynastic Genealogies: 4^th
12^th
18^th
19^th
20^th
21^st
25^th
26^th
27^th
31^st
Ptolemaic

Protodynastic Period
(prior to 3150 BC)

Lower Egypt	Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh

Upper Egypt	Scorpion I Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer

Early Dynastic Period
(3150–2686 BC)

Dynasty 1	Menes Hor-Aha Djer Djet Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Bird

Dynasty 2	Hotepsekhemwy Raneb Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

Dynasty 3	Sanakhte Djoser Sekhemkhet Khaba Huni

Dynasty 4	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Menkaure Shepseskaf

Dynasty 5	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Shepseskare Neferefre Niuserre Menkauhor Djedkare Unas

Dynasty 6	Teti Pepi I Merenre Pepi II

1^st Intermediate Period
(2181–2040 BC)

Dynasties 7 & 8	Wadjkare Qakare Iby

Dynasties 9 & 10	Meryibre Khety Merykare Kaneferre Nebkaure Akhtoy

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1782 BC)

Dynasty 11	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV

Dynasty 12	Amenemhet I Senusret I Amenemhet II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhet III Amenemhet IV Sobeknefru♀

2^nd Intermediate Period
(1782–1570 BC)

Dynasty 13	Wegaf Ameny Intef IV Hor Sobekhotep II Khendjer Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sobekhotep IV Merneferre Ay Neferhotep II

Dynasty 14	Nehesy

Dynasty 15	Sheshi Yakubher Khyan Apepi I Apepi II

Dynasty 16	Anather Yakobaam

Dynasty 17	Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Intef VII Tao I Tao II Kamose

New Kingdom
(1570–1070 BC)

Dynasty 18	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Tuthmosis I Tuthmosis II Tuthmosis III Hatshepsut♀ Amenhotep II Tuthmosis IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb

Dynasty 19	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret♀

Dynasty 20	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate Period
(1069–525 BC)

Dynasty 21	Smendes I Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II

Dynasty 22	Sheshonq I Osorkon I Sheshonq II Takelot I Osorkon II Takelot II Sheshonq III Pami Sheshonq V Osorkon IV

Dynasty 23	Pedibastet Sheshonq IV Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamon Iuput

Dynasty 24	Tefnakht Bakenrenef

Dynasty 25	Piankhi Shabaka Shebitku Taharqa Tanutamun

Dynasty 26	Psamtik I Nekau Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III

Late Period
(525–332 BC)

Dynasty 27	Cambyses II Darius I Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II

Dynasty 28	Amyrtaeus

Dynasty 29	Nefaarud I Hakor

Dynasty 30	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II

Dynasty 31	Artaxerxes III Arses Darius III

Hellenistic Period
(332–30 BC)

Argead Dynasty	Alexander the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV

Ptolemaic Dynasty	Ptolemy I Soter I Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes I Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Ptolemy IX Soter II Ptolemy X Alexander I Ptolemy XI Alexander II Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Berenice IV♀ Cleopatra VII♀ Ptolemy XV Caesarion

♀ indicates female pharaoh

Persondata
Name	Darius 02 Of Persia
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