Arses of Persia

Arses (Old Persian: *R̥šā; Greek: Ἀρσής), also known by his regnal name Artaxerxes IV (/ˌɑːrtəˈzɜːrksiːz/; Old Persian: 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠 Artaxšaçāʰ; Greek: Ἀρταξέρξης), was the twelfth Achaemenid King of Kings from 338 to 336 BC.

This article is about a king of Persia. For other uses, see Arses (disambiguation).
Arses
𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎣
Probable portrait of Arses, wearing the Egyptian Pharaonic crown.
King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire
Reign338–336 BC
PredecessorArtaxerxes III
SuccessorDarius III
Pharaoh of Egypt
Reign338–336 BC
PredecessorArtaxerxes III
SuccessorDarius III
Died336 BC
Regnal name
Artaxerxes IV
DynastyAchaemenid
FatherArtaxerxes III
MotherAtossa
ReligionZoroastrianism

Arses ascended the throne, after his father Artaxerxes III—who had caused a resurgence of the Persian Empire—was poisoned by the eunuch Bagoas. The latter put Arses on the throne with the expectation of being able to control him. With the weakening of the Achaemenid Empire from the assassination of Artaxerxes III and the succession of Arses, the Greek league sent troops into Asia in 336.

Arses, in an attempt to free himself from Bagoas' influences, tried to have the eunuch poisoned; but did not succeed, instead succumbing to poison himself at the orders of Bagoas. Bagoas put Arses' cousin Darius III on the throne after him.

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