Darius I of Persia: Encyclopedia II - Darius I of Persia - Rise to powerDarius belonged to a cadet branch of the Achaemenid dynasty. A relative of Cambyses, Darius belonged to one of the high-ranking Persian families that made up the nobility of the Persian Empire. When, after the suicide of Cambyses II (March 522 BC), the usurper Gaumata ruled undisturbed over the whole empire under the name of Bardiya (Smerdis), son of Cyrus, no one dared to gainsay him. None, that is, except Darius. Darius, "with the help of Ahuramazda", attempted to regain the kingdom for the royal family. His father Hystaspes was sti ...
See also:Darius I of Persia, Darius I of Persia - Rise to power, Darius I of Persia - The empire under Darius, Darius I of Persia - Governance, Darius I of Persia - Building projects, Darius I of Persia - Economy diplomacy and trade, Darius I of Persia - European and North African campaigns, Darius I of Persia - External link Read more here: » Darius I of Persia: Encyclopedia II - Darius I of Persia - Rise to power |