Persian artists were probably biased in their representation of Darius and Xerxes. He is shown as being tall, regal and band some –in fact, he cannot be distinguished from relief of his father. In the ancient, the artist think that kings all is same appearance. The inscription was found in a cultivated field, within two kilometers of Persepolis. The inscription similar to the Darius’s inscription, this probably a historical; it is more likely a prayer.
[1.1-5] A great god is ahuramaza, who created this marvel which is seen, who created happiness for man, who bestowed wisdom and courage upon Xerxes the king.
Xexes thinks his god made him wise and courageous.
[2.5-14] I am friend to right, I am not a friend to wrong.
He believes in right and truth.
[3.14-17] I am not hot-tempered. I am ruling over myself.
Xerxes is not emotional -he is in control of his control of his emotions, such as anger.
[5.23-26] What a man says against a man, that does not convince me, until I hear the solemn testimony of both.
Xerxes is fair in his judgement when there is a dispute between 2 people, he reserves judgement until he has heard and accounts of the problem by both parties before making a decision.
[6.26-31] What a man says dos or performs, according to his power, I am satisfied and my pleasure is abundant and I am pleased and I give abundantly to devoted (watchful) man.
Xerxes rewards his subjects who obey the law and contribute to society.
Herodotus, 9.107ff relates the story of Xerxes in a disastrous love triangle involving the wife and daughter of his brother masistes. This source shows the weakness of Xerxes, because 2 women manipulated him. Xerxes lust after his brother wife his brother wife is faithful to her husband and will not sleep with Xerxes. Xerxes marries one of his sons’s to masiste and this wife’s daughter so hat Xerxes can not get close to his brother’s wife. But Xerxes falls in lust with his son’s new wife.
He promises her anything because she has "granted" him favours .she asks for the cloak Amestris has made for him. Amestris sees her daughter -in-law in the cloak. Amestris blames the mother /wife of Massiste) and asks for her on the kings birthday when he cannot refuse requests.
How accurate this story is, we can never know. We have not documentation about Xerxes later life in Persia .as most of our ancient sources of Xerxes are Greek, it is difficult to make an unbiased assessment of his act and rule. Obviously, because Xerxes invaded their country. Greek writhers are generally hostile to him.
There is many interpretation of the representation of Xerxes from modern sources. However it is less real , due to the reasonmany of histrian interpret the sources from the primary sources( ancient sources). The modern historian also given the own opinion to analysis the modern source impartially , so that we can understand and argue the mystery lightly . some of modern source and analysis are shows below.
The history of ancient Greece, trans roberton ,w,edinburgh, 1776. P117
[Xerxes]gave himself wholly up to the every sort of voluptuousness and debauchery: his court become one general scence of the most shameful excesses, murder and incest succeeding each other in a perpetual.
This source shows Xerxes was manipulated by two woman, and because of this he loss his throne finally .
Huart,C, ancient peria and iranian civilization, New York ,1927, p60
Xerxes was tall and of noble bearing , but he was violent , sensual, weak and indolent.
This is a negative source of Xerxes, and it also tells he was get disrepute in his latter life. Eg,violent ,sensual, weak(he is bad in command the warfare ).
Cullican ,w, the medes and the persians, london 1965,pp.80-81
Xerxes had neither the milltary ability nor the statecraft of his predecessors. Ealy in his reign his solutions to the unrest in egypt and babylon show the turn of tide in acheamenid fortunes.
This source shows that Xerxes was useless in administer his state during his reign
The both of ancient source and modern source are written Xerxes negatively.
But he still represented good in some attitude .eg. he ‘s contribution to persepolis and ect.