DARIUS III., or Codomannus, the last of the Persian monarchs, succeeded Artaxerxes III., B.C. 336, after a short interval, in which Arcea, the youngest son of Artaxerxes, was nominally king. Bagoas had poisoned Artaxerxes, and then put Arces on the throne that he himself might reign in his name; but after two years he deposed him, and put in his place Darius Codomanous. Darius not being so obsequious to his wishes as he desired, he determined to remove him in the same way as he had done with Artaxerxes. The king however, aware of his desigu, made Bagoas himself drink the poison which ho had prepared for him. Darius was now firmly established ou the throne, but had little time to enjoy his security before he found himself opposed by Alexauder the Great it was in the second year of Darius's reign that Alexander passed over the Hellespont into Asia : he pursued his march till he arrived at the river Granicus (now the Oostvola), when his first encounter with the Persian army took place. The wed-armed aud well discipliued troops of the Macedonians gaiued a complete victory. Another battle was fought at Issue in Cilicia, where Darius took the command himself, and was utterly defeated. He engaged in person again in a battle at commonly called the battle of Arbela, and was defeated.
the battle of Issue, Darius'a camp was plundered, and his wife, mother, and children, came into the hauls of Alexander, who treated them with the utmost consideration and care. Now that Susa, Persepolis, and all his treasures had come into the possession of the conqueror, Darius took refuge in Ecbataui(, but was seized by Beasus, the governor of Bactria, who betrayed hint in his misfortunes. Both
the traitor and his prisoner fled before the march of Alexander, who hastened the pursuit till he came iu sight of them, when they fled precipitately ; aud because Darius would not follow them, Beseus and those about him discharged their darts et him, and left him covered with blood at the mercy of the 51acedooiaus. When the Greeks found him in this state he had just streugth enough left to ask for some water to drink ; it was given him by a Macedonian, whom he requested to return his thatrEa to Alexander for the kindness he had shown to his wife, mother, and children, and to say that ho prayed the gods to pros per him in all his undertakings, and to make him monarch of the world.
Alexander himself came up soon afterwards, and was much affected at seeing the king in this deplorable state. Ile took off his own cloak and spread it over the corpse, which he ordered to be embalmed and sent in a splendid coffin to Siaigarnbia, to be interred with the other monarchs of Persia. Darius died B.O. 330, in the sixth year of his reign and the fiftieth of his hge. He enjoyed the reputation of a just and humane prince. With Darius ended the empire of Persia, which had lasted for upwards of two hundred years under thirteen kluge.
(DiodorusSiculue, xvii. 5-77; Plutarch, Life of Alexander; Justin, x.)