Editing Darius II (section)

== Rise to Power ==
Texts from the Babylonian [[Murašû Archive|Murashu Archive]] date the transition from Artaxerxes I to Darius II between December 424 BC and February 423 BC. These Babylonian records do not reference any other contenders for the Persian throne directly, but Classical Greek and Latin historians, primarily Ctesias of Cnidus, describe a struggle for power within the Achamenid royal family. Darius II received his royal name and recognition from supporters in Babylon, while his half-brothers, [[Xerxes II]] and [[Sogdianus]], claimed authority elsewhere in the Empire. After just 45 days, Sogdianus orchestrated Xerxes’ assassination.<ref name=":1" />

Darius quickly gathered support from influential figures in the Persian Empire, including Sogdianus’ former cavalry commander, [[Arbarius]], Satrap [[Arsames (satrap of Egypt)|Arsames]] of Egypt, the influential [[Paphlagonia]]n eunuch [[Artoxares]], and possibly Satrap [[Hydarnes (father of Stateira)|Hydarnes]] of [[Satrapy of Armenia|Armenia]]. Rather than fighting Sogdianus, Darius and his wife and half-sister, Parysatis, arranged to negotiate. When Sogdianus arrived for negotiations, he was seized and executed in a pit of hot ashes.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Briant |first=Pierre |title=From Cyrus to Alexander: a history of the Persian Empire |date= |publisher=Eisenbrauns |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-57506-574-8 |editor-last= |editor-first= |location=Winona Lake, IN |pages=588–597}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Llewellyn-Jones |first=Lloyd |title=Ctesias' History of Persia: Tales of the Orient |last2=Robson |first2=James |date= |publisher=Routledge |others= |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-134-22046-5 |series=Routledge classical translations |location=Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon New York |pages=193–196}}</ref>

Soon after defeating his half-brothers, Darius’ full brother, Arsites, rebelled for unclear reasons. Arsites was [[Achaemenid Syria|Satrap of Syria]] and had the support of Artyphius, son of the earlier rebel Satrap [[Megabyzus]]. Darius sent an army to confront his brother under the command of [[Artasyrus]], a [[Bactria]]n nobleman. The rebels defeated Artasyrus’ army in two engagements, but they were defeated in a third. After that defeat, Artasyrus bribed the Greek mercenaries in Arsites’ army to surrender and captured Artyphius. Artyphius was temporarily spared on Parysatis’ advice to demonstrate the new regime’s leniency. When Arsites surrendered, he and Artyphius were both executed with hot ashes as well.<ref name=":2" />