Darius the Great

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	Darius the Great
Darius, relief from the northern stairs of the Apadana of Persepolis (Archaeological museum, Tehran)	Darius I (Old Persian Dârayavauš): king of ancient Persia, whose reign lasted from 522 to 486. He seized power after killing king Gaumâta, fought a civil war (described in the Behistun inscription), and was finally able to refound the Achaemenid empire, which had been very loosely organized until then. Darius fought several foreign wars, which brought him to India and Thrace. When he died, the Persian empire had reached its largest extent. He was succeeded by his son Xerxes. Coup d'état The coup according to the Behistun inscription Sources Youth Herodotus on the cloak of Syloson Dynastic marriages Herodotus on the fall of Intaphrenes Civil war The struggle for Babylon: Herodotus The struggle for Babylon: the Behistun inscription Organizing the empire Herodotus' list of satrapies Herodotus' description of the Royal road Darius' seal Building projects Building inscription from Susa Building inscription from Persepolis A statue from Egypt The Nile canal Travels Four Empire lists The Gherla inscription Herodotus on the multicultural Persian court Death The inscription on Darius' tomb	Related subjects Arakha Artavardiya Artystone Aspathines Âššina Atamaita Atossa Behistun inscription Dâdarši (1) Dâdarši (2) Ecbatana Frâda Gaumâta Gobryas Herodotus Hydarnes Hystaspes Intaphrenes Mardonius Martiya Megabyzus Naqš-i Rustam Nidintu-Bêl Otanes Phraortes Parmys Pasargadae Persepolis (pictures) satrapies Scylax of Caryanda Scythians Skunkha Smerdis Susa Takhmaspâda Tritantaechmes Vahyazdâta Vaumisa Vivâna Yaunâ Zopyrus

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