37. Quest. Of the names and number of the Persian kings.
1. Hierome, whome the Latine historians and interpreters follow, numbreth 14. kings of the Persians, as they are set downe in order before, qu. 17. vpon the 7. chap. so also Pere∣rius followeth the same account, and Oecolampad. in which number are comprehended Smerdes that succeeded Cambyses, and Artabanus, who killed Xerxes, both beeing vsur∣pers: and Xerxes the second, who raigned 2. moneths, and Sogdianus 7. moneths betweene Artaxerxes Longimanus, and Darius Nothus. These partly because they were vsurpers, partly for their short raigne, are not to be counted among the Persian kings, for the historie of time.
2. As the Latines exceede in number, so the Hebrewes come as farre short, Some of them doe make onely three kings of Persia, Cyrus, Assuerus, Darius: and whereas mention is made beside, Ez••. 4. 7. of Artaxerxes, and then of an other Artashasht, or Artaxerxes, Ez••. 7. 1. they say that the first Artaxerxes was the same with Assuerus, and the second with Darius: So R. Saad••a, and R. Davison. Some of them number foure kings, Cyrus, Assuerus, Artaxerxes, Darius: Ab. Ezra. Some count fiue, as R. Moses. But all these are euidently conuinced of vntruth by the historie of Ezra, and Nehemia, as may thus appeare. First, it is cleare that Xerxes was the fourth king of Persia, mentioned Dan. 11. 2. who should be ri∣cher then the rest. Then after this Xerxes the fourth king, succeeded Artaxerxes surnamed Longimanus, because he had one hand longer then an other: then followed Darius surna∣med Nothus, because he was the base sonne of Longimanus: after him raigned an other Ar∣taxerxes, who was surnamed Mnemon, of his singular memorie: there is mention made yet further of an other Darius, who was the last king of the Persians, Nehem. 12. 22. Thus it is euident that there were more kings of Persia then the Hebrewes imagine, as may be gathe∣red out of the Scripture.
3. Some name but 8. kings of Persia in all: As 1. Cyrus. 2. Artaxerxes Assuerus. 3. Darius with the long hand. 4. Darius Nothus. 5. Artaxerxes Mnemon. 6. Artaxerxes Ochus. 7. Arses. 8. Darius▪ so Annius Vite••biens. But in this account are omitted two famous kings of the Persians: Darius Hystaspis, and Xerxes his sonne.
4. Some make but nine, which they thus number, Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius Hystaspis, Xerxes, Artaxerxes Longima••••us, Darius Nothus, Artaxerxes Mnemon, Ochus, Darius Codomannus: Ioseph. Scalliger: But here is omitted Arses, the last king but one, who succee∣ded Ochus.
5. Some doe set downe tenne kings of the Persians: namely, all these before rehearsed: so Bulling. but the leaueth out S••erdes the vsurper, who succeeded Cambyses, and raigned not one yeare, but onely certaine moneths.
6. Beroaldus, whom H. Br. followeth, reckoneth 11. kings of Persia, agreeing in the number, but he misseth in the order: for thus he placeth them: Cyrus, Assuerus Artaxer∣xes, Darius Assyrius, Artaxerxes pins, then Xerxes, the fift, then the other sixe in order: But in this account he maketh Xerxes the rich king of Persia the fift king, who in Daniel is the fourth, c. 11. 2. and he supposeth him to haue beene the sonne of Artaxerxes pins, who was indeede the sonne of Darius.
7. Iuni••s setteth downe the Persian kings in this order. 1. Cyrus. 2. Cambyses his son. 3. Smerdes, who vsurped the kingdome a yeare. 4. Darius Hystaspis. 5. Xerxes. 6. Ar∣taxerxes Longhand. 7. Darius the bastard. 8. Artaxerxes Mnemon. 9. Darius Ochus. 10. Arses. 11. Darii••s Codomannus, whome Alexander ouercame. Iun. But if Smerdes