• This edition includes the following editor's introduction: The historical importance of Xerxes, King of Persia

Originally published in 1850, “Xerxes” by Jacob Abbott is an accessible and immensely readable biography of Xerxes, King of Persia. This historical biography is part of the 'Makers of History' series and it is the best single-volume introduction to the life and times of the Persian "King of Kings."

The name of Xerxes is associated in the minds of men with the idea of the highest attainable elevation of human magnificence and grandeur. This monarch was the sovereign of the ancient Persian empire when it was at the height of its prosperity and power.