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Artakhshathra II took the throne after his father's death in 404BC. However no sooner had he taken control, then his brother, Kuroush the younger, challenged him for control of the empire. After a failed assasination attempt, Kuroush was exiled to Sardis by his brother Artakhshathra (their mother pleaded for his life to be spared). However as soon as he reached Sardis, Kuroush schemed to take the throne. Using his previous connections in the Peloponnesian War, Kuroush struck a deal with the Spartan general Clearchus. By misleading the Spartan hoplites into thinking they were fighting for Greece, Clearchus and Kuroush managed to get 10,000 Spartan hoplites to attack the Persians at the battle of Cunaxa in 401BC, north of Babylon. Realizing the stakes Artakhshatra prepared for war. He utilized a scorched-earth strategy in front of Kuroush's army that was already crossing the Syrian desert. This way, by letting Kuroush come to him, Artakhshatra weakened Kuroush's limited supplies. He also constructed barriers and ditches ahead of the advancing armies. At the battle Kuroush used his Greek hoplites on the strengthened right flank and his more generic soldiers on the left. The stronger right flank of Kuroush was commanded by the Spartan Clearchus. Meanwhile Artakhshathra's left flank retreated, leading the Spartan hoplites on a tactical retreats, while his right flank, lead by Cithrafarna, the satrap of Ionia and trusted commander, broke Kuroush's left wing. Now Artakhshathra was ready to face Kuroush's central contingent. Artakhshathra, fighting through, was injured by Kuroush's spear. However, shortly after Kuroush was killed in Persian onslaught. Traitors among the Greeks killed their own leaders and turned in many of their own generals. They then made a hasty retreat; many of them were captured or killed. During the battle Arbaku had defected from Artakhshathra to Kuroush's side. His life was spared by Artakhshathra after the victory; his only punishment was being ridiculed by his own country-men. Cithrafarna, who had been instrumental in the victory at Cunaxa, was give more territory to govern over and awarded Artakhshathra's daughter in marriage. After the battle of Cunaxa the Persians wanted to punish the Spartans for their role in the war. They also wished to cut Sparta's growing influence in Greece after the Spartans had won the Peloponnesian War (the Persians had originally backed Sparta to cause trouble for Athens). Thus Artakhshathra moved to bribe the Athenians, Thebans, and Corinthians who were already frustrated with Sparta's harsh policies. Interestingly, during the war the Persian periodically covertly supported Sparta to ensure that a total victory for Athens would not occur. Thus all the city-states were controlled and weakened. At the peace treaty the real winner was Persia. Artakhshathra's strategy had weakened the Greeks so much that Persia was able to reclaim Ionia and force the Greeks to accept peace on their terms. The Egyptians revolted around 373BC and gained their freedom. They would keep it until Artakhshathra III. The Egyptians later, aided by the Greeks, attempted to conquer Phoenicia, but this plot failed as Artakhshathra's armies repelled the invaders. Among other campaigns Artakhshathra II also supressed a revolt by the Cadusians, a nomadic Iranian tribe living in the Elburz mountains. |