Atossa

~ 521 BC

ATOSSA'S DREAM

Atossa was the daughter of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, the wife of both Cambyses and Darius, and the mother of Xerxes. As such, she was an influential person in the Imperial court throughout her life. There is some debate about how long she lived.

Key events during the life of Atossa:

Year	Event
530 BC	Atossa married Cambyses, her half-brother.
522 BC	Married Smerdis the Magi when he usurped the throne.
521 BC	Married Darius when he was raised to the throne.
520 BC	Birth of Xerxes.
518 BC	Helped Democedes, a Greek physician, organize an expedition to Greece.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Reconnoitering of Greece in	Darius the Great  by  Jacob Abbott
Mother of Xerxes  in	Xerxes  by  Jacob Abbott
How Preparation Was Made for the Second War  in	The Story of the Persian War  by  Alfred J. Church
Kingdom of Darius  in	Stories of the East From Herodotus  by  Alfred J. Church
Story of the Persians in	Stories from the Greek Tragedians  by  Alfred J. Church
Hippias Visits Darius  in	The Story of the Greeks  by  H. A. Guerber

Image Links
Dream of Atossa  in Stories from the Greek Tragedians

Contemporary	Short Biography
Cambyses	Eldest son of Cyrus. Invaded Egypt, killed brother, then died.
Smerdis the Magi	Impersonated Smerdis, son of Cyrus and stole the throne of Persia.
Darius the Great	With six conspirators seized the throne of Persia, primarily through craft rather than force.
Xerxes	Raised an enormous army for Persian invasion of Greece. Defeated at Battle of Salamis.
Democedes	Greek physician, valuable slave of Darius. Schemed and plotted to return to Greece.