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W e last saw King Artaxerxes II in 401 B.C., just after his victory over Cyrus at the battle of Cunaxa. Artaxerxes II ruled for more than 45 years, from 405/4 to 359/8 B.C., making him the longest- ruling Great King of the Achaemenid dynasty. As king, Artaxerxes defeated a revolt by his brother Cyrus, stabilized the empire, and enjoyed major military and diplomatic success. He was a great builder and innovator. For all that, Artaxerxes II is one of the least appreciated Persian kings. When people talk about Persia in this period, they often fall into stereotypes of decline and weakness. But as we’ll see in this lecture, the successes of Artaxerxes were far greater than his setbacks.
