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Xerxes
Herodotus
(born approximately
484 BC) is often
referred to as
the "Father of
History." He was
the first writer
to evaluate historical,
geographical and
archaeological
information in
a critical way.
A large part of
his writings was
about the Persian
Wars, Xerxes the
Great, and the
growth of Persia
into a great kingdom.
Xerxes the Great was the king of
ancient Persia from 486 to 465
BC. Xerxes was on a conquest and
after bringing Egypt back under
Persian rule, he struck out to
invade Greece. But the Hellespont
was in his way. This strait, which
was 40 miles long and 1 to 4 miles
wide and connected the Aegean Sea
and the Sea of Marmara in western
Turkey, had to be crossed. Xerxes
built a bridge of boats, but as
fate would have it, a storm came
up and the bridge was destroyed.
Herodotus picks up the story here
and states that,
"Xerxes ordered that
three hundred lashes of
the whip be inflicted on
the water and a pair of
shackles be thrown into
it. I have even heard that
in addition he sent tattooist
(stigees) to tattoo (stixontes)
the Hellespont. In any
case, he ordered his agents
to say as they did their
whipping, O cruel water
your master imposes this
penalty upon you for doing
him wrong when he had done
no wrong to you, King Xerxes
will cross you, whether
you like it or not."
Xerxes the Great did invade Greece
and sacked Athens but after the
defeat of his fleet in the Battle
of Salamis (480), as seen in the
illustration here, he was not able
to supply his army. He had to retreat
and thus gave up his dream of this
conquest.
Tattoo Archive © 2004
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