All we have is the notice that “the king loved Esther more than all the other women” . — Daniel 2:1 “In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.” (ESV) 634.) Esther, according to the ‘Book of Esther,’ was a Hebrew woman from Persia, who became the queen of King Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes I. The only reasons to make such a distinction would be to make sure the reader understood which “Ahasuerus” was being mentioned. Little is known of the last 20 years of Artaxerxes’ rule, in which the empire does not seem to have been seriously shaken by calamities of any consequence. To avenge Darius's defeat by the Greeks a Persian king (486 – 465 BC) of the Achaemenian dynasty. 602 B.C. His ultimate defeat spelled the beginning of the decline of the Achaemenian Empire. When King Ahasuerus (afterwards referred to as Xerxes throughout) had a potential image problem due to the actions of his wife, Vashti, his counselors urged him to depose her and look for a new wife. He ferociously suppressed rebellions in Egypt (484) and Babylonia (482). Darius II, 423-405/4 B.C. If “Ahasuerus” was personal name of single king then the author of Esther would not have need to make the clarification that this Persian king was the one who rule over 127 Provinces. Esther despaired throughout her first six years in the palace. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. Esther remained passive and allowed the King to rape her repeatedly. That he loved her is noted, but why is not. Ahasuerus (lion-king), the name of one Median and two Persian kings mentioned in the Old Testament.In Ahasuerus is said to be the father of Darius the Mede. — Daniel 1:1 “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.” (ESV) • Daniel and his three friends taken captive to Babylon. 605 B.C. [] This first Ahasuerus is Cyaxares, the conqueror of Nineveh(Began to reign B.C. Kingly Chronology in the Book of Ezra. He is best known for his massive invasion of Greece from across the Hellespont (480 BCE), a campaign marked by the battles of Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea. As if the spelling and pronunciation of Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes were not problematic enough for the average Bible student, one must also consider these Persian kings in light of the order in which they are mentioned in the book of Ezra. King Ahasuerus is Xerxes or Artaxerxes, Spartans held off the Persians, Josephus, Artabanus killed Xerxes, Darius was blamed and killed, Revolts in Egypt and Syria, Ezra and Nehemiah were in court, King sent them back to Jerusalem Xerxes I, Persian king (486–465 BCE), the son and successor of Darius I. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, achievements, and timeline. We could point to various things that the text says about Esther as fitting reasons for Ahasuerus to love her: that she is admired by all who saw … She remained passive to the moody King … The son of Darius I, he had been governor of Babylon before his succession. The Ahasuerus king of Persia, referred to in must be Cambyses, thought to be Cyrus' successor, and perhaps his son. The king remained a weak ruler and a despot who acted according to his moods—good or bad.