Xerxes

In contrast to his predecessor, Xerxes (ruled 486—465 BCE) proved himself to be a heavy-handed ruler of Egypt. Ignoring the usual forms of Egyptian rule, he imposed Persian law, riding roughshod over local sensibilities. Xerxes proved equally ruthless when the Babylonians rebelled against Persian rule in 482 BCE. After the city of Babylon was retaken, the fortifications and ziggu-rat were demolished, together with many other temples. The golden statue of the god Marduk was removed and melted down, while all the citizens of Babylon saw their possessions confiscated and handed over to the Persians. The policies of Xerxes were in complete contrast to those of earlier Persian kings, who had been tolerant of local gods and religions and who had even rebuilt the local temples on occasion.

In 480 BCE, Xerxes invaded Greece with an army of 70,000 men. At first, the campaign went well, and Athens was captured. However, in a great sea battle at Salamis, the Persians were defeated and lost a third of their fleet. When the Persians were subsequently beaten, this time on land, at the Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE, the campaign petered out, and Xerxes lost interest in any further attempts to expand his empire.

After Xerxes was assassinated in 465 BCE, a century of rebellion and civil war ensued. Various members of the Achaemenid royal house at times gained power and at others plotted against each other. During this period, the empire inevitably suffered; it was never again to know the firm direction it had enjoyed under Darius. Despite its military weakness, Persia did play a significant diplomatic role in the Peloponnesian Wars, which involved Athens and Sparta. Persia supplied first one side and then the other with financial aid in return for political concessions.