Artaxerxes I

Long ago, a king named Artaxerxes ruled.

He was the son of King Xerxes. Some say his right hand was very long.

He had to lead a big land. A group in Egypt fought against him. The king's army won that fight. He also helped a man named Themistocles. The king gave him food and clothes.

Artaxerxes also helped people in Jerusalem. He sent Nehemiah to fix the city walls. This helped the people live safely. He was a leader for many years.

Artaxerxes I was a great king. He ruled the Persian Empire from 465 to 424 BC.

He was the son of King Xerxes I. Some stories say his right hand was longer than his left.

Being a king was hard work. A leader named Inaros led a revolt in Egypt. This was a fight for power. The Persian army eventually won after a long siege.

Artaxerxes also dealt with Greece. He gave money to the enemies of Athens. This was a new way to win. He also helped a man named Themistocles. The king gave him food, clothes, and a home.

In the Bible, the king helped people in Jerusalem. He sent a man named Nehemiah to the city. Nehemiah was the king's cup-bearer. The king gave him letters to help. Nehemiah used these to rebuild the city walls. This helped the people live in safety.

Artaxerxes I was a powerful leader in the Achaemenid Empire. He ruled as the King of Kings from 465 to 424 BC.

He was the third son of the previous king, Xerxes I. Some ancient Greek stories gave him a special nickname. They called him "Long-handed" because his right hand was longer than his left.

Some scientists think this might have been caused by a medical condition. This king's life was full of many big changes and important decisions.

Becoming king was not an easy path for Artaxerxes. In 465 BC, his father Xerxes I was murdered. A commander named Artabanus and a man named Aspamitres were involved. There are different stories about what happened next. One historian says Artabanus blamed the king's eldest son, Darius. Another historian says Artabanus killed Darius before he killed Xerxes. After Artaxerxes found out about the murders, he killed Artabanus and his sons.

Artaxerxes had to manage many different lands and people. He faced a large revolt in Egypt between 460 and 454 BC. A leader named Inaros II led this fight with help from Athens. The Persian army had to retreat to the city of Memphis. After a two-year siege, a Persian leader named Megabyzus won. Inaros was eventually captured and taken away to Susa.

He also used new ways to deal with the Greeks. Instead of just fighting, he gave money to the enemies of Athens. This strategy helped weaken the Athenian power. He even helped a man named Themistocles, who had been an enemy of his father. Artaxerxes gave him places like Magnesia and Lampsacus to live. He even provided food, clothes, and bedding for him.

Many people know Artaxerxes from stories in the Bible. He is linked to important figures like Ezra and Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a cup-bearer who worked for the king. When Nehemiah told the king that Jerusalem was undefended, the king helped. Artaxerxes sent letters to give Nehemiah safe passage. He also sent supplies to help rebuild the city walls.

Artaxerxes I was the fifth King of Kings in the Achaemenid Empire. He ruled from August 465 BC until December 424 BC.

As a ruler of a massive empire, his decisions shaped many different lands. He was the third son of the previous emperor, Xerxes I. Greek historians sometimes called him "Long-handed" or Makrókheir. They believed this because his right hand was longer than his left.

A 2011 medical paper suggested this might be caused by neurofibromatosis. This is an inherited disease that can affect how limbs grow.

His path to the throne began with a period of violence. In 465 BC, Xerxes I was murdered. The crime involved Artabanus, the commander of the royal bodyguard, and a eunuch named Aspamitres. Historians disagree on the exact sequence of these events. The historian Ctesias said Artabanus blamed the crown prince, Darius, for the murder. He then convinced Artaxerxes to kill his own brother to seek revenge. However, Aristotle suggested that Artabanus killed Darius first and then killed Xerxes. Once Artaxerxes discovered the truth, he killed Artabanus and his sons.

During his reign, Artaxerxes had to manage major revolts in Egypt. Between 460 and 454 BC, a leader named Inaros II led a rebellion. Inaros II was the son of a Libyan prince named Psamtik. He fought the Persians with help from allies in Athens. The Persian army, led by the satrap Achaemenes, was forced to retreat to Memphis. The conflict ended after a two-year siege. The Persian army was eventually led by Megabyzus to victory. Inaros was captured and taken to the city of Susa.

Artaxerxes also changed how the Persian Empire dealt with Greece. After the Battle of the Eurymedon in 469 BC, military fighting had mostly stopped. Instead of direct war, Artaxerxes used a strategy of funding Greek enemies. This funding weakened the power of Athens. It even caused the Athenians to move their treasury from Delos to the Athenian acropolis. This policy led to more fighting in 450 BC at the Battle of Cyprus. Some sources mention a Peace of Callias in 449 BC, but historians still dispute if a formal treaty existed.

One notable example of his diplomacy involved the Greek leader Themistocles. Themistocles had been a great enemy of Artaxerxes' father, Xerxes I. After Themistocles was forced out of Athens, Artaxerxes offered him asylum. The king provided him with several cities, including Magnesia, Myus, and Lampsacus. These lands provided him with meat, wine, and bread. He also received Skepsis for clothing and Percote for bedding.

Themistocles eventually adopted Persian language and customs during his time there.

Artaxerxes is also a significant figure in the Bible. Many scholars believe he is the king mentioned in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. In the book of Ezra, the king sent a decree to a scribe named Ezra. This allowed Ezra to lead a group of Jews back to Jerusalem in the seventh year of his reign. Some scholars argue this might actually refer to Artaxerxes II, who ruled much later. However, many believe Artaxerxes I is the correct king. In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah served as the king's cup-bearer.

Nehemiah was a close friend to the king. In the twentieth year of Artaxerxes' rule, the king noticed Nehemiah was sad. Nehemiah explained that the city of Jerusalem was undefended. Artaxerxes responded by sending Nehemiah with letters of safe passage. He also sent instructions to the keeper of the royal forests, Asaph. These instructions helped Nehemiah rebuild the city walls and the citadel. This connection shows how the Persian king interacted with the religious and civil affairs of the Jewish people. His rule is often studied by those looking at the history of religious tolerance.