Xerxes I
Achaemenid king (486–465 BC), son of Darius I; invaded Greece. Most interpreters read him as the rich fourth king of Dan 11:2; the "Ahasuerus" of Esther and Ezra 4:6 is usually identified with him (Driver).
Kingdom: Achaemenid Persian Empire
Reign
| Chronology model | Began | Ended | Stated length | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No chronology model (model-independent) | 486 BC | 465 BC – 464 BC | — | Babylonian (Nisan) reckoning: year 1 began 6 Apr 485; year 3 began 14 Apr 483; year 7 began 31 Mar 479 (Tebeth, month X, from 22 Dec 479); year 12 began 5 Apr 474 (Parker & Dubberstein, p. 30).Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24) |
Reign dates are model-dependent reconstructions. They are shown per model and never merged.
Researched events
- Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23)
- Mordecai uncovers the plot of Bigthan and Teresh (Esth 2:19–23)
- Ahasuerus's third-year feast at Susa and the deposing of Vashti (Esth 1; 483/482 BC)
- Esther made queen in Tebeth of Xerxes's seventh year (Esth 2:1–18; winter 479/478 BC)
- Mordecai mourns; Esther resolves to go to the king (Esth 4)
- Esther before the king; the first banquet; Haman's gallows (Esth 5)
- Haman casts pur and the decree against the Jews (Esth 3; Nisan 474 BC)
- The sleepless king; Mordecai honoured by Haman (Esth 6)
- The institution of Purim; Mordecai second to the king (Esth 9:20–10:3)
- The Jews defend themselves on 13–14 Adar (Esth 9:1–19; 473 BC)
- Mordecai's counter-decree of 23 Sivan (Esth 8; June 474 BC)
- The second banquet; Haman hanged (Esth 7)