Editing Ahasuerus (section)

===Identification of "Ahasuerus" as Xerxes I===
[[File:De woede van Ahasverus Rijksmuseum SK-A-3489.jpeg|thumb|''The wrath of Ahasuerus'' (anonymous), [[Rijksmuseum]].]]
Numerous scholars have proposed theories as to who Ahasuerus represents. Most scholars today identify him with [[Xerxes I]], as did 19th-century Bible commentaries.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Book of Esther between Judaism and Christianity |last=Kalimi |first=Isaac |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2023 |isbn=978-1-009-26612-3 |page=99 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HvnAEAAAQBAJ}}</ref> Three factors, among others, contribute to this identification:

# It is believed the Hebrew 'Ahasuerus' descended from the Persian names for Xerxes I.
# Historian [[Herodotus]] describes Xerxes I as being susceptible to women and in the habit of making extravagant offers to them, just as he did to Esther ("up to half my kingdom"). Herodotus mentions that the Persian empire stretched from India to Ethiopia and also refers to the magnificent royal palace in Shushan ([[Susa]]), corroboration of what is stated in the Book of Esther. In addition Herodotus mentions an assembly of Persian nobles called by Xerxes to advise him on the proposed war against Greece. Although Herodotus does not give the location of this assembly, the date – "after Egypt was subdued" – corresponds to Xerxes' third year when Esther records an assembly of Persian nobility at a feast. (''Histories'' VII.8) Herodotus also mentions that following his [[Battle of Salamis|defeat at Salamis]] Xerxes I became involved in [[harem]] intrigues involving his wife Amestris and his daughter-in-law, with whom he became enamoured. (Histories IX.108) Herodotus relates this occurred in the tenth month of his seventh year as king – the same time Ahasuerus was choosing beautiful women for his harem (Esther 2:16).
# Annals from the reign of Xerxes I mention an otherwise unattested official by the name of "Marduka", which some have proposed refers to [[Mordecai]], as both are mentioned serving in the king's court.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yamauchi |first1=Edwin |title=Mordecai, the Persepolis Tablets, and the Susa Excavations |journal=Vetus Testamentum |date=April 1992 |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=272–275 |doi=10.2307/1519506 |jstor=1519506 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1519506 |access-date=1 March 2024}}</ref>