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Darius
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Darius

Son of Xerxes and Vashti, in the Babylonian exile and the return. Named in scripture at Daniel 5:31.

Lived: Exile and Return

What we know — and how we know it

Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 2 Archaeology — physical evidence · 1 Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Life, role & deeds
BibleHe confirmed Cyrus's decree and ordered the Temple rebuilt at royal expense; it was finished in his sixth year.
Ezra 6:1–15
↳ Jerusalem
Behistun (Bisitun) trilingual royal inscription DB (Old Persian/Elamite/Babylonian), Kermanshah, Iran, copied and deciphered by H. C. Rawlinson (Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1846–1851); Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid) terrace and the Susa foundation charter (DSf) Phillip Maiwald (Nikopol) — CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons) ArchaeologyDarius I is among the best-attested kings of antiquity — the trilingual Behistun Inscription proclaims his rise, and he raised the great palaces of Persepolis and Susa.
Behistun (Bisitun) trilingual royal inscription DB (Old Persian/Elamite/Babylonian), Kermanshah, Iran, copied and deciphered by H. C. Rawlinson (Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1846–1851); Persepolis (Takht-e Jamshid) terrace and the Susa foundation charter (DSf)
BibleThe prophets Haggai and Zechariah spurred the work on 'the second year of Darius the king'.
Haggai 1:1; Ezra 5:1
↳ Haggai · Zerubbabel
Herodotus, Histories 3.61–97 (the seizure of the throne after the false Smerdis and the constitutional debate, and the organization of the satrapies and tribute) Livioandronico2013 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons) Ancient writersHerodotus gives a full account of Darius's seizure of the throne and the ordering of his vast empire.
Herodotus, Histories 3.61–97 (the seizure of the throne after the false Smerdis and the constitutional debate, and the organization of the satrapies and tribute)

Where in scripture

Daniel

Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel 5:31

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;

Daniel 6:1

Then these presidents and satraps assembled together to the king, and said thus to him, “King Darius, live forever!

Daniel 6:6

Therefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

Daniel 6:9

Then king Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages, who dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you.

Daniel 6:25

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Daniel 6:28

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,

Daniel 9:1

“As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

Daniel 11:1

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.

Daniel 5:31Daniel 6:1Daniel 6:6Daniel 6:9Daniel 6:25Daniel 6:28Daniel 9:1Daniel 11:1

Family

XerxesVashtiArtaxerxesDarius

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