Xerxes
/ˈzɜːrk.siːz/noun
The name of several Persian kings, especially Xerxes I, who ruled the Achaemenid Empire from 486 to 465 BCE.
Did you know?Xerxes I’s monumental inscriptions repeatedly use the title “Great King, King of Kings,” presenting his authority as divinely sanctioned by Ahuramazda.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Iranian
Proto-Iranian
*Xšayāršā
“A personal name traditionally interpreted as “ruling over heroes” or “ruler of men”; the exact internal analysis remains debated.”
6th Century BCE
Old Persian
Xšayāršā
“The royal name used by the Persian king later known in the West as Xerxes.”
5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Ξέρξης (Xérxēs)
“Greek transcription of the Persian royal name.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Xerxes
“Latin form adopted from Greek historical writing.”
Modern English
English
Xerxes
“The conventional English form of the name, most often referring to Xerxes I of Persia.”
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