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Xerxes

ANC-XER is worth about 25 marks out of 100 in recent HSC Ancient History papers. Practise 11 exam-style questions (multiple choice, short answer) with instant marking and a worked solution for every question.

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Topic notes

Xerxes — the Achaemenid Persian empire, his family and accession, revolts in Egypt and Babylon, the invasion of Greece, his building at Persepolis, his religious ideology, his death and the contrast between Greek and Persian images, with how to answer the Section III question.

  1. 1What you need to know
  2. 2Historical context
  3. 3Family and accession
  4. 4Securing the empire
  5. 5The invasion of Greece (480–479)
  6. 6Building at Persepolis and Susa
  7. 7Religion and ideology
  8. 8Court and death
  9. 9Evidence and interpretations
  10. 10Building an evaluation
  11. 11Common mistakes
  12. 12Exam tips
  13. 13Links to other topics
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Example questions

Example 1 · 1 mark · multiple choice

Who were Xerxes' parents?

  1. ACyrus the Great and Cassandane
  2. BCambyses II and his sister-wife Roxane
  3. CDarius I and a daughter of the noble Gobryas
  4. DDarius I and Atossa, daughter of Cyrus

Example 2 · 1 mark · multiple choice

According to Herodotus, Darius chose Xerxes as heir over his elder half-brother Artobazanes. Which reason does Herodotus report?

  1. AXerxes was born to Atossa after Darius became king
  2. BXerxes had won a great victory at Marathon
  3. CArtobazanes had led an unsuccessful revolt against his father
  4. DThe Persian nobles elected Xerxes by a vote

Example 3 · 1 mark · multiple choice

In his ‘daiva inscription’ Xerxes says he destroyed a sanctuary where daivas had been worshipped. Why do historians disagree about its meaning?

  1. AIt contradicts a later inscription by Xerxes on the same stone
  2. BIt survives only in a Greek translation by Herodotus
  3. CIt names neither the land nor the gods involved
  4. DIt was carved after Xerxes' death by his enemies

Answers and worked solutions appear when you practise these questions.

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