ARTAXERXES, a name representing Pers. _Artakhshatra_, "he whose empire is well-fitted" or "perfected", Heb. _Artakhshasta_, Bab. _Artakshatsu_, Susian _Irtakshashsha_ (and variants), Gr. [Greek: Artaxerxes], [Greek: Artoxerxes], and in an inscription of Tralles (Dittenberger, _Sylloge_, 573) [Greek: Artaxerres]; Herodotus (vi. 98) gives the translation [Greek: megas areios], and considers the name as a compound of Xerxes, showing thereby that he knew nothing of the Persian language; the later Persian form is _Ardashir_, which occurs in the form Artaxias (Artaxes) as the name of some kings of Armenia. It was borne by three kings of the Achaemenian dynasty of ancient Persia; though, so long as its meaning was understood, it can have been adopted by the kings only after their accession to the throne. 1. ARTAXERXES I., surnamed _Macrocheir, Longimanus_, "Longhand," because his right hand was longer than his left (Plut. _Artax._ i.). He was the younger son of Xerxes, and was raised to the throne in 465 by the vizier Artabanus, the murderer of his father. After a few months he became aware of the crimes of the vizier, and slew him and his sons in a hand-to-hand fight in the palace. His reign was, on the whole, peaceful; the empire had reached a period of stagnation. Plutarch (_Artax._ i.) says that he was famous for his mild and magnanimous character, Nepos (_de Reg._ i.) that he was exceedingly beautiful and valiant. From the authentic report of his cup-bearer Nehemiah we see that he was a kind, good-natured, but rather weak monarch, and he was undoubtedly much under the baneful influence of his mother Amestris (for whose mischievous character cf. Herod. ix. 109 ff.) and his sister and wife Amytis. The peacefulness of his rule was interrupted by several insurrections. At the very beginning the satrap Artabanus raised a rebellion in Bactria, but was defeated in two battles. More dangerous was the rebellion of Egypt under Inarus (Inaros), which was put down by Megabyzus only after a long struggle against the Egyptians and the Athenians (460-454). Out of it sprang the rebellion of Megabyzus, who was greatly exasperated because, though he had persuaded Inarus to surrender by promising that his life would be spared, Artaxerxes, yielding to the entreaties of his wife Amytis, who wanted to take revenge on Inarus for the death of her brother Achaemenes, the satrap of Egypt, had surrendered him to her for execution.