Darius III

Lore & Background

Darius III, the final Achaemenid King of Kings, was a distant member of the royal dynasty. Before his reign, he was an obscure figure who first gained notice during a military campaign in the 350s BC by killing an enemy warrior in single combat. For this bravery, he was appointed satrap of Armenia. He later held a high-ranking position overseeing the royal postal service. After the poisoning of King Artaxerxes III by the eunuch Bagoas, and the subsequent poisoning of Artaxerxes’ son Arses, Darius was placed on the throne. He soon forced Bagoas to drink his own poison after uncovering a plot against his life. Darius was killed in 330 BC by his relative Bessus, the satrap of Bactria, while fleeing the invading forces of Alexander the Great. Before his accession, he bore the name Artashata, meaning “Happy in Arta.” The historian Justin alone refers to him as Codomannus, possibly an Aramaic name meaning “from the East,” which he may have dropped as he rose in rank. He adopted the regnal name Darius upon taking the throne. He was the son of Arsames and grandson of Ostanes, whose father was Darius II. His mother was Sisygambis, likely of Achaemenid descent. He had a brother, Oxyathres, and a sister, Stateira I, whom he later married. His first wife, an unknown noblewoman, bore him two daughters and possibly a son named Ariobarzanes. With Stateira I, he had a son named Ochus.

Reader's Guide

Darius III’s reign saw the collapse of the Achaemenid Empire following the invasion of Alexander the Great, who defeated Persian forces, looted and burned Persepolis, and pursued the king. Darius was killed before Alexander reached him, murdered by his relative Bessus, the satrap of Bactria. His career is almost exclusively known through Greek historians, who present him as a foil to Alexander’s success; no Persian sources survive for his rule, leaving much about him uncertain. He rose from obscurity, first gaining notice for bravery in the Cadusian expedition under Artaxerxes III, for which he was made satrap of Armenia. He later oversaw the royal postal service, a high-ranking role. After the poisoning of Artaxerxes III by the chiliarch Bagoas, and the subsequent poisoning of Artaxerxes IV Arses, Darius was installed as king and forced Bagoas to drink his own poison when he discovered a plot against him. His background as a distant member of the dynasty, his early obscurity, and his elevation after a period of court intrigue underscore the instability that preceded the empire’s final defeat. His legacy is defined by this end, and by the contrast drawn between his fate and Alexander’s triumph.

Did You Know?

• Darius III was born as Artashata, a distant member of the Achaemenid dynasty.
• He first gained notice during the Cadusian expedition of Artaxerxes III in the 350s BC, when he slew a warrior in single combat.
• He was made satrap of Armenia as a reward for his bravery.
• He forced the eunuch Bagoas to drink poison after discovering a plot against his own life.
• He was killed by his relative Bessus, satrap of Bactria, before Alexander could reach him.