Both the Bible and the Greek historian Herodotus speak about the same Persian kings: Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes and Artaxerxes. In the brief quotes included here the Biblical text is given first, followed by four passages from Herodotus.
BIBLE - …during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes …And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia. (Ezra 4:5-7) NIV.
HERODOTUS - …we inquire further about Cyrus and the Persians… (The Histories 1.95).
HERODOTUS - …after giving these orders, Darius summoned into his presence… (The Histories 5.106).
HERODOTUS - …having appointed Xerxes as King of the Persians… (The Histories 7.4).
HERODOTUS - …during the reigns of... Xerxes, son of Darius, and Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes… (The Histories 6.98).
HERODOTUS - …during the reigns of... Xerxes, son of Darius, and Artaxerxes, son of Xerxes… (The Histories 6.98).
Herodotus quotes taken from: Herodotus, The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories. Trans. Purvis, Andrea L., Ed. Strassler, Robert. New York: Pantheon, 2007. Print.
