- Flourished:
- late 5th and early 4th centuries bc
- Flourished:
- c.450 BCE - c.351 BCE
- House / Dynasty:
- Achaemenid Empire
- Notable Family Members:
- son Artaxerxes III
- brother Cyrus the Younger
- Role In:
- Battle of Cunaxa
Artaxerxes II
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Who was Artaxerxes II?
Artaxerxes II was a king of Persia from the Achaemenid dynasty, who reigned in the late 5th and early 4th centuries BC. Succeeding his father Darius II, Artaxerxes II was also known by the Greek surname Mnemon, meaning "the mindful".
Despite facing challenges such as the loss of Egypt in 404 BC and a rebellion led by his brother Cyrus the Younger, Artaxerxes II demonstrated political and military prowess. He brokered the King's Peace in 386 BC, which gave the Achaemenids control over the Greek states, although he experienced less success in Egypt and Anatolia where continuous rebellions occurred. An important change during his rule was the introduction of the worship of the goddess Anāhitā, alongside Ahura Mazdā and Mithra, marking a shift in Persian religious practices.
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When did Artaxerxes II rule the Persian Empire?
Artaxerxes II, an Achaemenid king of Persia, ruled from 404 to 359 BCE. Succeeding his father Darius II, he was also known by the Greek surname Mnemon, meaning "the mindful".
His reign was marked by conflicts and challenges, including a war with Sparta that ended with a peace favorable to Persia, the revolt and loss of Egypt, the rebellion of his brother Cyrus the Younger, and the uprising of satraps (provincial governors). Despite these challenges, Artaxerxes II restored Achaemenid authority over most of the empire by the end of his reign. He died in 359 BCE and was succeeded by Artaxerxes III.
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What challenges did Artaxerxes II face during his reign?
During his reign, Artaxerxes II of Persia faced numerous challenges, including a large number of rebellions and military conflicts. Soon after Artaxerxes II took the throne, his brother Cyrus the Younger attempted to overthrow him. Although Cyrus was defeated, the rebellion revealed the empire's vulnerability.
Sparta broke openly with the Achaemenids, achieving military success in Anatolia. Although the Achaemenids gained mastery of the Aegean, expeditions against Egypt failed, and continuous rebellions occurred in Anatolia, Armenia, and Iran. The revolt of the satraps further challenged Artaxerxes’ authority, but he ultimately restored Achaemenid rule through internal rivalries and treachery.
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How did Artaxerxes II deal with family conflicts and rebellions?
Artaxerxes II faced numerous challenges during his reign, including family conflicts and rebellions. His brother, Cyrus the Younger, attempted to seize the throne, leading to a major revolt that exposed the empire's internal weaknesses.
Artaxerxes also dealt with continuous rebellions in Anatolia and wars against mountain tribes in Armenia and Iran. The "revolt of the satraps," where provincial governors rose against him, further destabilized his rule. Despite these internal conflicts and external wars, Artaxerxes managed to restore Achaemenid authority over most of the empire, primarily due to the rivalries and discord among his adversaries rather than his own strength.
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What was the significance of the Peace of Antalcidas during his rule?
The Peace of Antalcidas, or the King's Peace, significantly shaped Artaxerxes II's rule. Concluded in 386 BC, it dictated that the Asiatic mainland and Cyprus were under Persian control, while other Greek states, except Lemnos, Imbros, and Scyros, were to be autonomous.
The peace settlement marked a pivotal moment where the Achaemenids became arbiters in Greece, leveraging Greek discord to their advantage. Although Achaemenid authority was restored over most of the empire by the end of Artaxerxes' reign, this was due more to internal rivalries than his own efforts.
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How is Artaxerxes II remembered in Persian history today?
Artaxerxes II, who ruled Persia from 404 to 359 BCE, is remembered for a period of mixed fortunes in the Achaemenid Empire. While he successfully restored Achaemenid authority over most of the empire by the end of his reign, this was more due to internal rivalries among his adversaries than his own strength.
Key events during his rule include the war with Sparta, which ended with the King's Peace in Persia's favor, and the unsuccessful attempt to regain control of Egypt. He also faced a significant rebellion from his brother, Cyrus the Younger, and the uprising of the satraps (provincial governors). Artaxerxes II's reign also saw a change in Persian religion with the introduction of statues of the goddess Anāhitā.
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Artaxerxes II (flourished late 5th and early 4th centuries bc) was an Achaemenid king of Persia who reigned during the late 5th and early 4th centuries BC.
He was the son and successor of Darius II and was surnamed (in Greek) Mnemon, meaning “the mindful.” When Artaxerxes took the Persian throne, the power of Athens had been broken in the Peloponnesian War (431–404), and the Greek towns across the Aegean Sea in Ionia were again subjects of the Achaemenid Empire. In 404, however, Artaxerxes lost Egypt, and in the following year his brother Cyrus the Younger began preparations for his rebellion. Although Cyrus was defeated and killed at Cunaxa (401), the rebellion had dangerous repercussions, for it not only demonstrated the superiority of the Greek hoplites used by Cyrus but also led the Greeks to believe that Persia was vulnerable.
In 400 Sparta broke openly with the Achaemenids, and during the next five years its armies achieved considerable military success in Anatolia. The Spartan navy, however, was destroyed at Cnidus (394), thereby giving the Achaemenids mastery of the Aegean. The Greek allies of Persia (Thebes, Athens, Argos, and Corinth) continued the war against Sparta, but, when it became evident that the only ones to gain from the war were the Athenians, Artaxerxes decided to conclude peace with Sparta. In 386 Athens was compelled to accept the settlement known as the King’s Peace, or the Peace of Antalcidas, by which Artaxerxes decreed that all the Asiatic mainland and Cyprus were his, that Lemnos, Imbros, and Scyros were to remain Athenian dependencies, and that all the other Greek states were to receive autonomy.
Elsewhere Artaxerxes met with less success. Two expeditions against Egypt (385–383 and 374) ended in complete failure, and during the same period there were continuous rebellions in Anatolia. There were also wars against the mountain tribes of Armenia and Iran.
By the King’s Peace the Achaemenids had become the arbiters of Greece, and in the following wars all parties applied to them for a decision in their favour. After the Theban victory of Leuctra (371), an old alliance between the Achaemenids and the Thebans was restored. Achaemenid supremacy, however, was based on Greek internal discord rather than Achaemenid strength, and, when this weakness became apparent, all the satraps (governors) of Anatolia rose in revolt (c. 366), in alliance with Athens, Sparta, and Egypt, and Artaxerxes could do little against them. The satraps, however, were divided by mutual distrust, and the rebellion was finally put down by Persia through a series of treacheries. When the reign of Artaxerxes ended, Achaemenid authority had been restored over most of the empire—more from internal rivalries and discord than from his efforts.
Under Artaxerxes an important change occurred in the Persian religion. The Persians apparently did not worship images of the gods until Artaxerxes set up statues of the goddess Anāhitā in various large cities. Inscriptions by all former kings named only Ahura Mazdā, but those of Artaxerxes also invoked Anāhitā and Mithra, two deities of the old popular Iranian religion that had been neglected.