Character guide

Cyrus

major

Also known as Cambyses, Smerdis, king Cambyses

Founder of the Persian Empire; central figure in early books.

Xerxes

major

Also known as King Xerxes, king Xerxes

Persian king who leads the invasion of Greece.

Croesus

major

Also known as Croesus the Lydian, Lycians

Wealthy Lydian king who tests oracles and is conquered by Cyrus.

Darius

major

Also known as King Darius, king Darius, Darius the Persian

Persian king who consolidates the empire and invades Scythia.

Herodotus

major

Also known as Herodotus of Halicarnassos, Herodotus of Thurii

The author and narrator of the Histories.

Themistocles

major

Also known as Themistocles the Athenian

Athenian leader who advocates for naval power against Persia.

Mardonios

major

Also known as Barbarians, the Barbarians with Mardonios

Persian general leading the land campaign in Greece after Salamis.

Leonidas

major

Also known as Leonidas the Lacedaemonian, Leonidas Abronichos

Spartan king who commands the Greeks at Thermopylae.

Cleomenes

supporting

Also known as Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides, Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian

Spartan king involved in conflicts with Athens and Aegina.

Histiaios

supporting

Also known as Histiaios the Milesian, Histiaios of Miletos

Tyrant of Miletus who incites the Ionian Revolt.

Aristagoras

supporting

Also known as Aristagoras the Milesian, Aristagoras of Kyme

Leader of the Ionian Revolt who seeks help from Sparta and Athens.

Miltiades

supporting

Also known as Miltiades the Athenian, this Miltiades son of Kimon

Athenian general who commands at Marathon.

Pausanias

supporting

Spartan regent who leads the Greeks at Plataea.

Artemisia

supporting

Queen of Halicarnassus who advises Xerxes and fights at Salamis.

Demaratos

supporting

Also known as Demaratos the son of Ariston, Demaratos the Lacedaemonian

Deposed Spartan king who flees to Persia and advises Xerxes.

Harpagos

supporting

Also known as Harpagos a Mede, Harpagos Astyages

Median general who helps Cyrus overthrow Astyages.

Astyages

supporting

Also known as the Medes Astyages

Last king of the Medes, overthrown by Cyrus.

Croesus

major

Lydian king whose fall illustrates the dangers of pride.

Alexander

supporting

Also known as Alexander the son of Amyntas, Alexander the Macedonian

Macedonian king who mediates between Persia and Greece.

Polycrates

supporting

Also known as Polycrates the Samian

Tyrant of Samos whose prosperity ends in disaster.

Syloson

supporting

Also known as Syoloson, Syoloson the son of Aiakes

Brother of Polycrates who becomes tyrant of Samos with Persian help.

Periander

supporting

Tyrant of Corinth known for his wisdom and harsh rule.

Solon

supporting

Also known as Solon the Athenian

Athenian lawgiver who visits Croesus and warns him.

Peisistratos

supporting

Also known as Peisistratos Amphilytos

Tyrant of Athens who seizes power multiple times.

Cleisthenes

supporting

Also known as the Athenian Cleisthenes

Athenian reformer who establishes democracy.

Gyges

supporting

Lydian king who usurps the throne from Candaules.

Cambyses

supporting

Also known as the Persians Cambyses

Persian king who conquers Egypt and goes mad.

Psammetichos

supporting

Also known as the Egyptians Psammenitos

Egyptian king defeated by Cambyses.

Amasis

supporting

Egyptian king who allies with Polycrates and is overthrown by Cambyses.

Apries

minor

Egyptian king overthrown by Amasis.

Mykerinos

minor

Egyptian pharaoh who builds the third pyramid.

Cheops

minor

Egyptian pharaoh who builds the Great Pyramid.

Rhampsinitos

minor

Egyptian king known for a story about a clever thief.

Sesostris

minor

Legendary Egyptian king who conquered much of the known world.

Necos

minor

Also known as Necos king of the Egyptians

Egyptian pharaoh who built a canal and sent Phoenician explorers.

Smerdis

supporting

Also known as the Magian Smerdis, this Magian Smerdis

Magian who impersonates the dead son of Cyrus and rules Persia.

Otanes

supporting

Also known as Otanes a Persian, the Persians Otanes

Persian noble who helps overthrow the Magian Smerdis.

Intaphrenes

minor

Persian conspirator executed by Darius for disobedience.

Zopyros

supporting

Persian noble who mutilates himself to help Darius capture Babylon.

Demokedes

supporting

Also known as Demokedes of Croton

Greek physician at the Persian court who helps Darius.

Oroites

minor

Also known as Mitrobates taunting Oroites

Persian satrap who murders Polycrates and is later killed.

Maiandrios

minor

Also known as the despot Maiandrios

Samian who briefly rules after Polycrates and flees to Sparta.

Skythes

minor

Scythian king who invades Asia and is repelled by the Medes.

Anacharsis

minor

Scythian philosopher who travels to Greece and is killed for foreign customs.

Salmoxis

minor

Thracian deity or wise man worshipped by the Getae.

Aristeas

minor

Greek poet who wrote about the Arimaspians and travels north.

Tomyris

supporting

Queen of the Massagetae who defeats and kills Cyrus.

Deioces

minor

Also known as This Deioces

First king of the Medes who unifies the tribes.

Phraortes

minor

Median king who conquers Persia and is killed by the Assyrians.

Cyaxares

minor

Median king who captures Nineveh and expands the empire.

Alyattes

minor

Lydian king who fights the Medes and builds a great tomb.

Sadyattes

minor

Lydian king who wages war against Miletus.

Pactyas

minor

Also known as Pactyas the Lydian

Lydian who leads a revolt against Cyrus and flees to Cyme.

Mazares

minor

Also known as Mazares a Mede, Mazares the Mede

Median general sent by Cyrus to suppress the Lydian revolt.

Harpagos

supporting

Median general who helps Cyrus conquer Ionia.

Bias

minor

Also known as Bias of Priene

Greek sage who advises the Ionians to unite against Persia.

Thales

minor

Also known as Thales the Milesian

Greek philosopher who predicts a solar eclipse.

Pittacus

minor

Tyrant of Mytilene and one of the Seven Sages.

Periander

supporting

Tyrant of Corinth who advises Thrasybulus of Miletus.

Thrasybulos

minor

Tyrant of Miletus who receives advice from Periander.

Hippocrates

minor

Father of Peisistratos; receives an omen of tyranny.

Megacles

minor

Athenian noble who helps Peisistratos regain power.

Lycurgos

minor

Also known as O Lycurgos

Legendary Spartan lawgiver who established the Spartan constitution.

Chilon

minor

Spartan ephor and one of the Seven Sages.

Anaxandrides

minor

Spartan king, father of Cleomenes and Leonidas.

Leotychides

supporting

Also known as Leotychides the Lacedaemonian, Cleomenes Leotychides

Spartan king who commands the Greek fleet at Mycale.

Eurybiades

supporting

Spartan commander of the Greek fleet at Salamis.

Adeimantos

minor

Also known as the Corinthian Adeimantos

Corinthian commander who argues with Themistocles before Salamis.

Aristides

supporting

Also known as Egina Aristeides

Athenian statesman and general at Salamis and Plataea.

Xanthippos

supporting

Also known as Xanthippos the son of Ariphron

Athenian general who prosecutes Miltiades and later commands at Mycale.

Hippias

supporting

Deposed tyrant of Athens who guides the Persians at Marathon.

Datis

supporting

Also known as Artaphrenes the son of Artaphrenes

Persian general who commands the expedition to Marathon.

Artaphrenes

minor

Persian satrap of Sardis who receives Athenian envoys.

Megabazos

minor

Also known as Bubares the son of Megabazos

Persian general who subdues Thrace for Darius.

Oibares

minor

Persian noble who helps Darius become king by a trick.

Prexaspes

minor

Persian noble who reveals the truth about the Magian Smerdis.

Artabazos

supporting

Persian general who commands the rear guard during Xerxes' retreat.

Masistes

minor

Also known as Masistes the son of Darius

Brother of Xerxes who is killed due to a family intrigue.

Amestris

minor

Wife of Xerxes who cruelly punishes the wife of Masistes.

Artaÿctes

minor

Persian governor who profanes the temple of Protesilaos and is executed.

Mascames

minor

Persian governor of Doriskos who holds out against the Greeks.

Boges

minor

Persian commander who commits suicide rather than surrender Eion.

Hydarnes

minor

Also known as Hydarnes the Persian

Persian general who leads the Immortals at Thermopylae.

Epialtes

minor

Traitor who shows the Persians the path around Thermopylae.

Dionysios

minor

Also known as Dionysios the Phocaian, the Phocaian commander Dionysios

Phocaean commander who trains the Ionian fleet before Lade.