Facts about Xerxes the Great

1. 05

   Xerxes the Great completed and expanded the magnificent ceremonial capital Persepolis, begun by his father Darius I, adding its grand Apadana staircase reliefs.

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2. 04

   Achaemenid ruler Xerxes the Great was the son of Darius I and Atossa, a daughter of Cyrus the Great, making him of royal lineage on both sides.

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3. 03

   Defeated at the Battle of Salamis, Xerxes the Great retreated from Greece, leaving his general Mardonius to continue the campaign.

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4. 02

   In mythology and popular culture, Xerxes the Great is depicted as a god-king in the graphic novel and film '300', portraying him as a towering, pierced figure.

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5. 01

   The Persian king Xerxes the Great led a massive invasion of Greece around 480 BCE, famously crossing the Hellespont with a pontoon bridge.

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