The Period of the Persian Monarchy — William Pemble — Deadmen

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The Period of the Persian Monarchy · William Pemble

CHAP. I.

CYRVS tooke Babylon about the 20^th yeare of his reign, …un…cius in Chronol. comm. lib. 2. and was after Emperour of that Monarchy	Years. 9	Moneths.
2 Cambyses his sonne, called, Dan. 10.13. Prince of the Kingdome of Persia, because he did rule at home, as Prorex, during his fathers warlike expeditions abroad. Whiles his father liued, he hindred the worke of the Temple. But that he reigned with his father 2 yeares at least, and that those two yeares should bepart of those seuen which Herodotus gives him, cannot be proued. They may rather be part of those nine yeares, that Sulpicius Severus, or of those more that Ctefias and Alexandrinus ascribe vntounto him. Hee slew his Brother, and not long after dyed of a wound hee gave himselfe by chance, having reigned after the death of his Father	Yeares. 7	Moneths. 5
3 Darius Hystaspis (Cambyses dying without issue) was chosen Emperour by the 7 Princes of Persia. He reigned ouer the Monarchie	36
4 Xerxes the sonne of Darius by Atossa the daughter of Cyrus, succeeded his Father in the Empire. Hee had an elder Brother Artobarzanes, or Artemenes, who gave way to Xerxes his younger brother. This X…rxes was Assuerus the mighty Emperour, who married Ester the Iew. He reigned after the decease of his Father, and two yeares together with his Father, after the maner of the Persians, as Viceroy	20	and aboue somewhat.
5 Artaxerxes Longimanus, Nehemiah his Lord and Master, the sonne of Xerxes by Queene Ester,being much what about 14 yeares of age, Ezra. 6.11.14. Nehem. 2.4. succeeded his Father (Artabazanus, who affected the Crowne, and held vp some 7 moneths being slaine) and reigned. They that giuegive him but 40, doe disjoine those odde moneths, that Xerxes and Zogdianus reigned. Ptolemy and Clemens Alexandrinus joyne them with Artaxerxes yeares, and so giuegive him [41.]	41
6 Darius Nothus, so called, because he was Artaxerxes his Bastard, succeeded his Father. Artaxerxes had a young sonne called Xerxes, who, some fortnight after his Fathers death was slaine, and deprived of his life and right by Zogdianus, or Secundanus his bastard Brother, who tooke the Crowne, but held it not aboue 7 Moneths. For being slaine also, this Darius called before Ochus, a bastard also, tooke the Empire, and was called Darius, and held it (some give Artaxerxes his Father 41 yeares, some 46 yeares: but the most and best agree vponupon 40 yeares.) This Darius Nothus his bastard sonne had the honour to have the holy Citie builded and finished in his dayes. He reigned in all	Yeares. 19	Moneths. 6
7 Artaxerxes Mnemon. In his dayes flourished the Prophet Malachie. Cyrus his brother, called Cyrus the younger, tooke armes against him with the losse of his owne life. Whose expedition is described by that famous Xenophon. This Artaxerxes reigned	43
8 Ochus, called Darius Artaxerxes Ochus. He reigned	23
9 Arses the sonne of Ochus was slaine by Bagoas an Eunuch, Diodor. Sicu…. lib. 17. who killed first Ochus his Father. Arses reigned	3
Broughton leaues out the 20 yeares of Ochus, and makes Ochus and Arses to be but one man: and thrusting out Arses, gives vntounto Ochus his three yeares and no more. He was deceived by the Florentine Printer of Clemens Alexandrinus, printing for [foreign (or foreign for 20, foreign. put by the Librarie) foreign] for foreign.	Yeares.	Moneths.
10 Darius Codomannes his sonne succeeded him: and in the 6 yeare of his reigne he was beaten by Alexander Magnus, and slaine by Bessus Gouernour of Bactrya, one of Alexanders Princes and Captaines, and so an end of the Persian Monarchie. He reigned	6
The whole time of the Persian Monarchy was a matter of 228 yeares. Cyrus began to reigne in Persia the 55 Olympiad. Darius the last was subdued by Alexander the 112 Olympiad. So betwixt Cyrus and Darius there fell in 57 Olympiads, & each Olympiad had the terme of 4 yeares: so we finde 228 compleat yeares, onelyonly adding the imperfect yeares of the 112 Olympiad: in which Olympiad Darius was slaine. Some petty differences there are about small matters in judicious chiefely about some pieces of yeares. Chronologers, (chiefely about Cyrus his time, after he was Emperour: for some giuegive him but 3 or 4 yeares at the most.) But in the summe of the matter, the chiefest agree vponupon this reckoning, and giuegive to the Persian Monarchie about 228 yeares.