Persian Kings 550 – 530: Cyrus the Great 530 – 522: Cambyses Son of Cyrus – but nothing of his...

Persian Kings550 – 530: Cyrus the Great530 – 522: Cambyses

Son of Cyrus – but nothing of his caliber

Cambyses of Persia capturing Pharaoh Psammetichus III (from Persian seal, 6th Century b.c.

Mentioned in Ezra 4:6 by throne name Xerxes

Temple construction remained stalled during his reign

530 – 522: Cambyses

530: Assassinated his brother Smerdis

525: Attacked Egypt – took Memphis

(Egypt remained under Persian control until Alexander)




524-522: Three disastrous campaigns





522: Cambyses outraged the Egyptians killing the Apis Bull

The Apis Bull of the Egyptians, one of their most sacred objects of worship





522: Cambyses outraged the Egyptians killing the Apis Bull

Commited suicide returning home – following coup in Ecbatana

Persian Kings550 – 530: Cyrus the Great


522: Pseudo-Smerdis

Gaumata was a Mede, a Magi, and pretended to be Smerdis

Killed in conspiracy led by Darius, a military commander

Gaumata (throne name: Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-24)), keeps temple construction at standstill

Hoped to reinstate Median religion and dominance

Persian Kings550 – 530: Cyrus the Great


522: Pseudo-Smerdis

522 – 486: Darius the Great

Darius the Great (521 – 486)Brilliant consolidator of the Persian Empire


Reinstated Persian mono-theistic religion

Faravahar (or Ferohar), one of the primary symbols of Zoroastrianism, believed to be the depiction of a Fravashi (guardian spirit)



Established universal currency – the Daric

Gold darics such as this one (with a purity of 95.83%) were only issued by the king himself.



Established universal currency – the Daric

Undertook expansive building projects in Persepolis and elsewhere

The ruins of Persepolis. In the foreground is the treasure house, right behind the

Palace of Darius.

Persepolis ruins

Darius the Great (521 – 486)521 – 515: Put down minor revolts after Cambyses

520: Reauthorizes the temple project (Ezr. 5:3 – 6:12)

Haggai encouraged the people to work (520)

Zechariah preached his “night visions” (519)

1) Four Horses (1:7-17): The world was at peace under Darius

2) Four Horns (1:18-21): Disruptive powers now under control

3) Measuring Line (2:1-13): Jerusalem protected though unwalled

4) Priest Joshua (3): High Priest purified for his duties

Zechariah’s Night Visions

5) Zerubbabel (4): Zerubbabel told “not by might…but by my spirit”

6) Flying Scroll (5:1-4): A judgment intended to purge the land

7) Wicked Woman (5:5-11): Symbolized by wickedness banished

8) Four Chariots (6:1-8): Call God’s people from all places to return

Darius the Great (521 – 486)521 – 515: Putting down minor revolts after Cambyses

520: Darius reauthorizes the temple project (Ezr. 5:3 – 6:12)

Haggai encouraged the people to work (520)

Zechariah preached his “night visions” (519)

516: Second Temple is completed (Ezra 6:13 – 22)

514: Darius Launched his western campaign

514-512: Darius consolidates control of Asia Minor

510-500: Darius largely taken with building projects in his major cities



498: Athenians sack Sardis – and provoke Ionian rebellion




494: Darius puts down the Ionian rebellion




494: Darius puts down the Ionian rebellion

490: Darius defeated at the famous Battle of Marathon

Tomb of Darius the Great (d. 486 b.c); located next to other Achaemenian kings at Naqsh-e Rustam

Persian Kings 550 – 530: Cyrus the Great 530 – 522: Cambyses Son of Cyrus – but nothing of his...

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