Artaxerxes I

King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 465 to 424 BC Artaxerxes I𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂Relief of Artaxerxes I, from his tomb in Naqsh-e RustamKing of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire,Pharaoh of EgyptReignAugust 465–December 424 BCPredecessorXerxes ISuccessorXerxes II Royal titulary Nomen Artaxerxes BornUnknownDied424 BC, SusaBurialNaqsh-e Rustam, PersepolisSpouseDamaspiaAlogyne of BabylonCosmartidene of BabylonAndia of BabylonIssue Xerxes II Sogdianus Darius II Arsites Parysatis DynastyAchaemenidFatherXerxes IMotherAmestrisReligionZoroastrianism Artaxerxes I was the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia, from August 465 to December 424 BC. He was the third son of Xerxes I. In Greek sources he is also surnamed "Long-handed" (Ancient Greek: μακρόχειρ Makrókheir; Latin: Longimanus), allegedly because his right hand was longer than his left. Josephus and several ancient traditions identify him as King Ahasuerus, from the Book of Esther. Succession to the throne Artaxerxes was probably born in the reign of his grandfather Darius I, to the emperor's son and heir, Xerxes I. In 465 BC, Xerxes I was murdered by Hazarapat ("commander of thousand") Artabanus,