Artakhshathra (reign circa 465BC-424BC)
After his father, Khshayarsha, Artakhshathra took the throne. According to Xenophon, he was nicknamed long-handed, because his right arm was longer than his left. Artakhshathra was also reputed for his intelligence and noble spirit. Not too much is known about his life or reign. Artakhshathra first slew Artapana, his father's killer; he is reputed to have slain him with his own sword. Artakshathra's attention then turned to the continuing nuisance with Greece. His father and grandfather had severely incapacitated Greece, but were never able to conquer and hold the mainland. Thus Greece posed a threat yet again. Instead of rashly starting another invasion, around 448BC Artakhshathra reportedly signed a peace treaty. Some historians claim that this treaty was never signed, because many greek authors do not mention it, and instead claim that it was propaganda aimed at expanding Athen's perceived power. In either case, a tentative peace was reached between persia and Greece. Artakhshathra then resorted to poltical measures to keep Greece in check. While the Athenians were gaining influence, Artakhshathra financed rival city-states, renewing the Greek civil war. In this way he kept Greece at war with itself and politically controlled the situation.
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