Illustration created for this project.
Xerxes
The Persian king who deposed Vashti and made Esther queen, and consented to and then reversed Haman's plot.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Archaeology — physical evidence · 1
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Life, role & deeds
Phillip Maiwald (Nikopol) — CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyHis reign is richly documented — the great palaces and trilingual inscriptions of Persepolis, and Greek historians who record 'Xerxes' (the biblical Ahasuerus).
Persepolis palaces and trilingual (Old Persian/Elamite/Babylonian) royal inscriptions of Xerxes I, incl. the 'Daiva' inscription (XPh); excavations of E. Herzfeld and E. F. Schmidt for the Oriental Institute, Chicago, publ. E. F. Schmidt, Persepolis I–III (University of Chicago Press, 1953–70). Greek narrative in Herodotus, Histories 7–9.
Livioandronico2013 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient writersHerodotus describes at length the vast Greek invasion of this king — the Ahasuerus of Esther — and the character of his court.
Herodotus, Histories 7–9
Where in scripture
EzraEstherDaniel
Ezra 2:1Ezra 2:12Ezra 2:16Ezra 2:21Ezra 3:1Ezra 3:6Ezra 3:7Ezra 3:8Ezra 3:12Ezra 4:6Ezra 6:2Ezra 7:5Ezra 8:1Ezra 8:7Ezra 8:10Ezra 8:12Ezra 9:2Ezra 9:20Ezra 9:30Ezra 10:3Esther 1:1Esther 10:1Daniel 9:1
Family
In their own words — 14 recorded sayings
“What is to be done by law to Vashti the queen, because she has not done what King Ahasuerus, by his servants, gave her orders to do?” — Esther 1:15
“And the king said to Haman, The money is yours, and the people, to do with them whatever seems right to you.” — Esther 3:11
“Then the king said, What is your desire, Queen Esther, and what is your request? I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom.” — Esther 5:3
“Then the king said, Let Haman come quickly, so that what Esther has said may be done. So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had made ready. And while they were drinking wine the king said to Esther, What is your prayer? for it will be given to you and what is your request? for it will be done, even to the half of my kingdom.” — Esther 5:5-6
“And the king said, What honour and reward have been given to Mordecai for this? Then the servants who were waiting on the king said, Nothing has been done for him. Then the king said, Who is in the outer room? Now Haman had come into the outer room to get the king's authority for the hanging of Mordecai on the pillar which he had made ready for him.” — Esther 6:3-4
“And the king's servants said to him, See, Haman is waiting in the outer room. And the king said, Let him come in.” — Esther 6:5
“So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What is to be done to the man whom the king has delight in honouring? Then the thought came into Haman's mind, Whom, more than myself, would the king have pleasure in honouring?” — Esther 6:6
“Then the king said to Haman, Go quickly, and take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who is seated at the king's doorway: see that you do everything as you have said.” — Esther 6:10
…and 6 more recorded sayings.
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Places in their life
Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
In art
