Artaxerxes I of Persia

Artaxerxes I of Persia, known simply as Artaxerxes during his exile, was King of the Achaemenid Empire and Pharaoh of Egypt during the 5th century BCE. The son of Xerxes I, he succeeded his father after his assassination in 465 BCE by Darius.

Throughout his lifetime, Artaxerxes fathered numerous children, including the future king Darius II.

Biography

Early life

Artaxerxes' father and grandfather were close allies of the Order of the Ancients, a powerful organization who aided in their conquests and expansions.^[1] After Xerxes I was assassinated in 465 BCE, Artaxerxes ascended the throne as King. Xerxes' assassin, Artabanus, fearing Artaxerxes would also be manipulated by the Order, plotted his preemptive assassination. The attempt was halted, however, by Artabanus' close friend and Persian elite, Amorges, who had joined the Order and called for the guards. As a result, Artaxerxes' life was spared, and Artabanus was forced to flee, adopting Darius as his new name.^[2]

Early in his reign as a child king, Artaxerxes befriended Themistokles, a former Athenian general who had been ostracized and fled to Persia, early in his reign. Themistokles tutored the young king and told him many stories of the wonders of Greece; before Themistokles' death, Artaxerxes promised his tutor that he would see each of the great landmarks he had been told about.^[3]

Exile from Persia

At some point, Artaxerxes became aware of the Order's activities and his predecessors' connection to them. However, he refused to yield to the Order's demands, which led the Order to attempt to have him dethroned.^[4] They manipulated Artaxerxes' brother Hystaspes to have him overthrown and assassinated.^[3] The Order took advantage of Darius' status as a fugitive and framed him for the assassination attempt.^[4] Despite losing his sight to the assassins' poison Artaxerxes nevertheless managed to survive and escape. Faking his death and fleeing Persia, Artaxerxes traveled to Greece where he sought refuge in the city of Megara, Megaris.^[3]

Sometime in 431 BCE, Artaxerxes made the acquaintance of Kassandra, a Spartan misthios who, unbeknownst to him at the time, was also the granddaughter of King Leonidas. Artaxerxes reminisced to Kassandra about the stories Themistokles told of his homeland and how he wished to see the landmarks his tutor and friend has described. Kassandra agreed to visit each of the landmarks and retell her experiences to Artaxerxes. Once her quest was complete, Artaxerxes thanked and rewarded her.^[3]

Trivia

Historically, Artaxerxes I reigned over Persia until his death in 424 BCE at Susa, while in-game it is possible to interact with him up to and beyond his historical date of death.

Gallery

Appearances

Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (first appearance)
- Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted (mentioned only)
- Legacy of the First Blade: Bloodline (mentioned only)

References

↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted – Shadow of a Legend
↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Hunted – Protector of Persia
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Prince of Persia
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade: Bloodline

Assassin's Creed: Odyssey

Characters

Assassins	Layla Hassan • Victoria Bibeau • Kiyoshi Takakura • Alannah Ryan • Harlan Cunningham \| Amunet \| Kassandra (Ikaros) • Darius

Cult of Kosmos	Aspasia • Deimos • Nyx (Elpenor • Sotera • The Master • Hermippos • Midas) • Polemon (Epiktetos • The Centaur of Euboea • The Chimera • The Silver Griffin • Machaon) • Kleon (Brison • Podarkes • Rhexenor • Iobates • Kodros) • Exekias (Pallas • Deianeira • Belos • Swordfish • Okytos) • Iokaste (Melite • Harpalos • Zoisme • Diona • Chrysis) • The Hydra (The Mytilenian Shark • Melanthos • The Octopus • Sokos • Asterion) • Pausanias (Skylax • The Monger • Lagos • Kallias • Silanos)

Templars / Order of the Ancients	Juhani Otso Berg \| Amorges • Pactyas (Akantha • Bubares • Echion • Konon • Phratagounè • Timosa • Order Elite) • Phila (Augos • Nestor • Megakreon • Sophos) • The Immortals • Gergis (Artazostre • Dimokrates • Pithias • Gaspar • Harpagos) \| Xerxes I

Isu	Aletheia \| Persephone • Hades • Poseidon • Hermes • Hekate • Atlas • Gadiros • Ampheres • Azaes • Neokles • Aita • Juno • Melitta • Xarios

Olympos Project	Cyclops (Brontes • Steropes • Arges) • Writhing Dread (Medusa • Ligeia) • Minotaur • Sphinx • Cerberos • Lycanthropes (Lyra) • Hekatonchires

Mercenaries	Kassandra the Eagle-Bearer • Exekias the Legend • Talos the Stone-Fist • Sosipatros the Archon's Servant • The Poisoner • The False Leonidas • Zetes the Retired • Hyrkanos the Cunning • Agis of the North • Theos the Stargazer • Gaia the Fist • Exadios the Backbreaker • Edonos the Charging Bull • Atos the Beast Caller • Hirpes the Sordid • Aias the Clean • Kephalon the Thinker • Proktos the Moon King • "Eagle Bearer" (Chikaros) • Polykaste the Jilted • Narkissos the Babbler • Nestor the Great • Testiklos the Nut • Harpina the Heavy Hitter • Iaeira the Overcomer • Damais the Indifferent • Astarte the Swamp • Nanno the Abakos • Okyllos the Successor • Thaleia the Talon Hand • Laches the Eternal • Abia the Shaded \| Cyclops of Kephallonia • The Poisoner of Athens • Testikles the Olympian • Deianeira the Boeotian Champion • Epiktetos the Forthcoming • Swordfish of Octopus Bay • The Monger of Korinthia • Achilles the Trojan War Hero • King Agamemnon of Mycenae • Herakles the Legendary • Perseus the Gorgon Slayer

Love interests	Aikaterine • Alkibiades • Anais • Aspasia • Auxesia • Daphnae • Diona • Kosta • Kyra • Lykaon • Lykinos • Mikkos • Odessa • Roxana • Thaletas • Thyia • Timotheos • Xenia • Zopheras • "Eagle Bearer" • Natakas \| Adonis • Elpis

Others	Archidamos • Aristophanes • Artaxerxes I • Barnabas • Brasidas • Darius II • Demokritos • Elpidios • Euripides • Herodotos • Hippokrates • Iola • Markos • Myrrine • Nikolaos • Perikles • Phidias • Polykleitos • Praxilla • Pythagoras • Phoibe • Sargon • Sophokles • Sokrates • Thespis • Thrasymachos \| Leonidas • Dienekes • Kurush

Factions

Assassins (Layla Hassan's cell | Protectors of Persia) | Templars (Sigma Team | Order of the Ancients) • Cult of Kosmos • Delian League • Peloponnesian League • Achaemenid Empire • Minor factions (Daughters of Artemis • Followers of Ares • The Dagger • Periklean Circle)

Locations

United Kingdom (London) | Egypt (Giza) | Isu Locations (Atlantis (Gateway to the Lost City) • Ancient Forge • Cave of Mt. Zas • Cave of the Forgotten Isle • Myson Cave • Nisyros • Sphinx Lair • Labyrinth of Lost Souls • Petrified Temple • Teichos of Herakles) • Greece • Aegean Sea (Andros) • Volcanic Islands (Thera • Anaphi • Nisyros) • Krete (Messara (Gortyn) • Pephka) • Kythera Island • Melos • Attika Peninsula (Attika (Athens • Dekelia • Lavrio • Port of Piraeus) • Boeotia (Lake Kopais • Mykalessos • Orchomenos • Thebes) • Megaris (Megara • Pagai)) • Forest Islands (Thasos • Abantis Islands (Euboea • Skyros) • Petrified Islands (Chios • Lesbos)) • Kephallonia Islands (Kephallonia (Sami) • Ithaka) • Korinthian Gulf • Peloponnese (Arkadia (Tegea) • Argolis (Argos • Epidauros) • Achaia (Dyme • Patrai • Pellene) • Elis • Korinthia (Korinth) • Lakonia (Sparta) • Messenia) • Pirate Islands (Keos (Koressia) • Seriphos • Lestris) • Paradise Islands (Delos • Mykonos • Naxos Island • Paros Island) • Southern Sporades (Samos • Kradia Isle • Kos) • Northern Greece (Lokris • Makedonia (Amphipolis • Potidaia) • Malis • Phokis (Kirrha)) • Afterlife (Elysium • Underworld)

Events

Peloponnesian War (Battle of Amphipolis • Battle of Pylos) • Plague of Athens | Greco-Persian Wars (Battle of Thermopylae)

Terms and concepts

Achievements • Ainigmata Ostraka • Crafting • Customization • Currencies (Drachma • Orichalcum) • Dual-wielding • Eagle Vision • Engraving • Genetic memory • Helix Credits • Historical Locations • Leap of Faith • Memories • Message boards • Outfits • Photo Mode • Pieces of Eden (Artifact Fragment • Atlantis Artifacts • Pyramid • Spear of Leonidas • Staff of Hermes Trismegistus • Sword of Damokles) • Ships (Adrestia) • Skills • Social Stealth • Story Creator Mode • Swimming • Viewpoints

Weapons and tools

Bows • Blunt weapons • Swords • Spears • Shields

DLC

The Blind King • Secrets of Greece • Legacy of the First Blade (Hunted • Shadow Heritage • Bloodline) • The Fate of Atlantis (Fields of Elysium • Torment of Hades • Judgment of Atlantis) • The Lost Tales of Greece • Discovery Tour: Ancient Greece