Darius I

Darius I (lived c. 550—486 BC, reigned 522—486 BC), also called Darius the Great, was a Persian king who ruled Persia during its territorial peak, which included much of Western and Central Asia, parts of the Balkans, the Caucasus, and North Africa. Darius’s reign was plagued with rebellions, especially in the Greek settlements of Ionia. He vowed to punish Athens for their military assistance to these colonies and unsuccessfully tried to invade Greece, being defeated at the Battle of Marathon. In 334 BC, Alexander the Great invaded Asia Minor (today’s Türkiye) and defeated the Persians in a series of battles. At the Battle of Issus (today’s Hatay province, Türkiye), Darius fled and his army collapsed. Eventually, Alexander invaded Persia itself and took its capital, Persepolis. While Alexander chased Darius, Bessus, one of Darius’s men, killed Darius. Alexander then had Bessus executed as a usurper, and Darius was given a royal funeral and cremation. Darius is mentioned in the Old Testament in the books of Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, and Nehemiah.