62: Death In Quick Succession

In late 465 BCE, Xerxes I - the King of Kings - was murdered in his sleep by his own captain of the guard, Artabanus the Hyrcanian. Artabanus and a group of highly placed conspirators chose their victim's third son, Artaxerxes to be their puppet on the throne and moved to secure their coup. Unbeknownst to them, Artaxerxes was not easily manipulated. When the conspirators turned on one another, the Achaemenid Empire plunged headfirst into the age of Artaxerxes with a new round of civil wars.The Oldest Stories Website | Spotify | Apple | RSSAskHistorians Podcast Website  | Spotify | Apple | RSSIn The Words of Zarathustra Patreon | Support Page Twitter | Facebook | InstagramOur Sponsors:* Check out Claritin: www.claritin.com* Check out undefined and use my code TODAY for a great deal: undefinedSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-of-persia/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy