Wikipedia
Vishtaspa, Hellenized as Hystaspes (Ὑστάσπης), may refer to:
- Vishtaspa ( fl. 10th century BCE or earlier, if actually historical), the first patron of Zoroaster
- Hystaspes (father of Darius I) (fl. 550 BCE), satrap of Bactria and possibly also of Fārs, and father of Darius the Great
- Hystaspes (son of Darius I) (fl. ca. 480 BCE), son of Darius the Great
- Hystaspes (son of Xerxes I) (fl. ca. 460 BCE), son of Xerxes I of Persia
Vishtaspa ( fl. 550 BC), known under his Hellenized name Hystaspes , was a Persian satrap of Bactria and Persis, and the father of Darius I, king of the Achaemenid Empire, and Artabanus, a trusted adviser to both his brother (Darius) and later his nephew (Darius's son and successor, Xerxes I).
The son of Arsames, Hystaspes was a member of the Persian royal house of the Achaemenids. He was satrap of Persis under Cambyses, and probably under Cyrus the Great also. He accompanied Cyrus on his expedition against the Massagetae. But he was sent back to Persis, to keep watch over his eldest son Darius, whom Cyrus, in consequence of a dream, suspected of considering treason.
Besides Darius, Hystaspes had two sons, Artabanus and Artanes. Ammianus Marcellinus makes him a chief of the Magians, and tells a story of his studying in India under the Brahmins. His name occurs in the inscriptions at Persepolis.
Hystaspes was the second son of the Persian king Xerxes I. When his father was assassinated by the vizier Artabanus, Hystaspes' younger brother Artaxerxes I ascended the throne. According to Diodorus of Sicily, Hystaspes was satrap of Bactria at the time of his father's death. This claim of Diodorus conflicts with the version of Ctesias that an Artaban (not to be confused with the murderer of Xerxes I) then led a revolt in Bactria, where he was satrap. It is possible that the true rebel was Hystaspes.
Hystaspes was allegedly assassinated by Artaxerxes I.