Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • King of Persia defeated by Alexander the Great: Darius III was the last Achaemenid King of Kings of Persia. His reign ended with his defeat by Alexander the Great, leading to the fall of the Persian Empire.
   • Historical figure whose death marked the end of an empire: The murder of Darius III is considered the event that effectively ended the ancient Persian Empire.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun:
  • The Battle of Gaugamela was a decisive victory for Alexander the Great over Darius III.
  • After the death of Darius III, Alexander claimed the Persian throne.

Advanced Usage

• "the defeat of Darius III": used to signify the pivotal moment of Macedonian conquest over Persia.
  • The defeat of Darius III marked a turning point in ancient history.
• "the empire of Darius III": refers to the Achaemenid Empire during his specific, final reign.
  • The vast empire of Darius III stretched from Egypt to India.

Variants and Related Words

• Achaemenid Empire (n): The First Persian Empire, which Darius III ruled.
  • The Achaemenid Empire was founded by Cyrus the Great.
• Alexander the Great (n): The Macedonian king who conquered the empire of Darius III.
  • Alexander the Great pursued Darius III across Persia.

Synonyms

• Last Achaemenid King: A descriptive synonym emphasizing his historical position.
• Codomannus: The birth name of Darius III before he took the throne.

Related Phrases

• Pursuit of Darius: A historical phrase referring to Alexander's campaign to capture the Persian king.
  • The pursuit of Darius was long and arduous.
• Flight of Darius: Describes his retreat after major battles like Issus and Gaugamela.
  • The flight of Darius left his family in Alexander's hands.

Related Idioms

• "A Darius III moment": (A modern, non-historical coinage for illustrative purposes) used metaphorically to describe a final, decisive defeat that ends an era.
  • The company's loss of its key patent was its Darius III moment.

Noun

1. king of Persia who was defeated by Alexander the Great; his murder effectively ended the Persian Empire (died in 330 BC)