Kings of Persia Trivia Quiz

Answer: Achaemenes

Achaemenes (c. 700 BCE) was the founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty which ruled large portions of the Middle East. He may have been a mythical figure as much as a historical one, though he was mentioned in several sources. Cyrus II would have the great-great-grandson of Achaemenes.

The picture shows an image of the White Crown of Upper Egypt and the Red Crown of Lower Egypt. The first Pharaoh of a united Egypt was Narmer or Menes.

Answer: Biblical Book of Ezra

The Book of Ezra states that Cyrus's edict allowed the Jews who had been exiled by Nebuchadnezzar to return to Israel and rebuilt the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. Other historical evidence suggests that this may have been more gradual (rather than a single action) and part of a more general policy of toleration in the Cyrus's empire. Cyrus II (600-530 BCE) rule Persia from 559 BCE until his death, adding areas including Babylon and Lydia.

The picture shows the image of two stone tablets with the numbers 1 through 10 representing the Ten Commandments and suggesting the Bible (including the Book of Ezra.)

Answer: Egypt

Though Cambyses was a relatively young ruler himself, he took advantage of the weak position of the new Egyptian pharaoh Psamtik III, to carry out plans for the conquest of Egypt that had been developing since the time of his father. It is unclear whether the conquest of Egypt was particularly brutal or not since sources vary. While the conquest of Egypt was successful, attempts to push Persian control further into Africa were not successful during Cambyses' lifetime.

The picture shows the image of a Pyramid, a famed landmark of Egypt.

Answer: Battle of Marathon

Though the Persian were able to take over portions of Thrace and Macedon, their attempt to conquer Greece were unsuccessful. At the Battle of Marathon a smaller army of Athenians were able to defeat a larger Persian force. Due to the long distances run by the messenger, Pheidippides, at the time of the battle, the name Marathon has been given to a long distance race. Though Darius himself planned to lead a second invasion of Greece, he died before this could happen. Darius I was not a direct descendant of Cyrus the Great or Cambyses II, but he shared Tespies and Archamenes with them as common ancestors

The picture shows the image of a running stick figure, suggesting a marathon race.

Answer: Fetters were thrown into the river

The story appears in the writings of Herodotus. According to the author, Xerxes had the water whipped 300 times before the fetters were thrown into the water. Ince the Persian soldiers were able to cross to the other side, they were able to temporarily control a large portion of Greece, before being defeated at the Battles of Salamis and Plataea. It is thought that Xerxes (518-465 BCE) was the inspiration for King Ahasuerus, who appears in the Biblical Book of Esther.

The picture shows an image of a key that could have been used to unlock the fetters or leg irons.

Answer: Themistocles

Themistocles (524-459 BCE) was an Athenian general and politician who played a role in the Persian defeats in battles such as Marathon and Salamis. When he was falsely accused of treason and exiled from Athens, Artaxerxes allowed him into the Persian Empire and eventually made him governor of the city of Magnesia. Compared to his father and grandfather, Artaxerxes was more likely to use indirect means against Athens, such as providing support to its foes, rather than direct battle.

The picture shows one pair, saying "Not us" and pointing to another pair, supposedly the "them" for Themistocles.

Answer: Half siblings

Darius II (born Ochus) was the son of Artaxerxes and Cosmartidene of Babylon. Parysatis was the daughter of Artaxerxes and Andia of Babylon. Consanguinity and polygyny were both recurring features in the Achaemenid dynasty. The two had 12 sons (four living to adulthood) and one daughter. It is that Darius being an illegitimate son of Artaxerxes may have played a role in his dependence on Parysatis.

The picture shows an image of a fork with a "No" symbol, indicating the lack of forks one might see on a family tree where half siblings marry.

Answer: Xenophon

Xenophon (430-354 BCE) was a leader of the Ten Thousand, Greek mercenaries hired by Cyrus the Younger. His history, "Anabasis" (c. 370 BCE) does describe the Civil War but emphasizes the story of the soldiers' return from Mesopotamia to Greece. Born in 453 or 445 BCE, Artaxerxes was the longest living and longest reigning member of the Achaemenid dynasty. During his reign, Persia lost control of Egypt, before regaining it under the next king.

The picture shows an image of a xylophone, suggesting the initial letter of Xenophon

Answer: Sidon

After Artaxerxes' first attempt to reconquer Egypt, other areas of the Empire including the city of Sidon declared their independence. After other attempts to retake the city did not work, Artaxerxes personally led an army of 330,000 to retake the city. Tennes, leader of the city, attempted to sue for peace and pardon by turning over 100 prominent citizens to Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes had those citizens killed and after retaking the city had it burned to the ground, killing 40,000 more.

The picture shows an image of a square with one side emphasized as a sound-alike for Sidon.

Answer: Alexander the Great

Darius III (380-330 BCE) ruled from 336 BCE until his death. A difficulty that he faced was a lack of experience in authority before becoming king. He had a distinct lack of success against Alexander from the beginning of the Macedonian invasion in 334 BCE. He was killed by his relative and courtier Bessus, who briefly claimed the Persian throne as Artaxerxes V, before himself being killed.

The picture shows the image of a knot. Alexander was known for "untying" the famed Goridon knot by either slicing through it with his sword or by removing it from the pole about which it was tied.