Darius III
Darius III was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire, ascending to the throne in 336 BCE after a palace coup that resulted in the assassination of his predecessor, Artaxerxes III, and the royal family. His early military fame came from defeating an enemy champion, which earned him the satrapy of Armenia. Darius's reign was marked by the significant military campaigns of Alexander the Great, who invaded the Persian Empire in 334 BCE. Darius faced Alexander at the Battle of Issus in 333 BCE but was forced to flee, leading to the capture of his royal family and treasury. Despite further attempts to confront Alexander, including a battle in 331 BCE near the Tigris River, Darius's forces were ultimately defeated. His reign ended tragically when he was killed by his own men in 330 BCE, shortly before Alexander's forces could capture him. Darius III's defeat and the conquests of Alexander marked the decline of the Persian Empire and the rise of Hellenistic influence in the region.
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Darius III
Related civilization: Persia
Major role/position: King
Life
Darius (DAH-ree-uhs) III won fame as a young man by killing an enemy champion in battle. For this feat, his uncle, Artaxerxes III, king of Persia, awarded him the satrapy of Armenia. Darius was crowned king in 336 b.c.e. after Artaxerxes III and the royal family were poisoned by one of the king’s generals, Bagoas. When Darius became king, he wisely forced Bagoas to drink one of his own lethal drafts.
In 334 b.c.e., Alexander the Great invaded the Middle East. Darius faced Alexander at the Battle of Issus in 333 b.c.e. but fled before the battle had been decided. His army was defeated, and Alexander captured the royal family and the king’s treasury. Attempts by Darius to ransom his family were rebuffed by Alexander. During the next two years, Alexander was occupied with conquering Syria, the Levant, and Egypt. Darius faced him in battle once more, in 331 b.c.e., this time on the eastern side of the Tigris River. Once again Darius fled. Darius was killed by his own men the following summer, shortly before Alexander’s men overtook him.
Influence
The short reign of Darius III brought the Persian Empire to a close. The conquests of Alexander the Great, which Darius proved unable to withstand, ushered in the new age of Hellenism.
Bibliography
Cook, J. M. The Persian Empire. New York: Schocken Books, 1983.
Nylander, Carl. “Darius III.” In Alexander the Great: Reality and Myth, edited by Jasper Carlsen. Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider, 1993.