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ARTAXERXES

(Heb. ʾartaḥšastāʾ; Gk. Artaxerxēs)

A common name among Persian kings of the Achaemenid dynasty. Artaxerxes is mentioned as the Persian king who commissioned the missions of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 7:1-28; Neh. 2:1-8). On the basis of extrabiblical references to his antagonists Sanballat and Geshem (cf. Neh. 6:1), Nehemiah’s missions are almost certainly to be placed during the reign of Artaxerxes I (445 and 433 b.c.e.; Neh. 2:1; 13:6-7). There is less agreement concerning Ezra, though increasingly scholars are inclined to date his mission also to the time of Artaxerxes I (458; Ezra 7:7).

1. Artaxerxes I Longimanus (465-424). Son and successor to Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I first faced rebellion by Egypt, which was crushed in 455 by Megabyzus, satrap of “Beyond the River” (ʿAbar Naharâ). In 448 Megabyzus revolted and was removed from office. Some have seen this as the background to Nehemiah’s mission. Otherwise, Artaxerxes’ reign unfolded quite peacefully.

2. Artaxerxes II Mnemon (404-359). Son and successor to Darius II, his claim to the throne was challenged in battle by Cyrus the Younger, as narrated in Xenophon’s Anabasis. Cyrus’ defeat (401) and the later routing of the Spartans at Cnidus (394) returned control over the West to Artaxerxes. The hegemony he sustained throughout his lengthy reign was largely due to the rivalries between the various Greek city-states and likewise between satraps.

Gerald M. Bilkes

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ARTAXERXES

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)