Damaspia

Queen of Persia

Damaspia
Queen of Persia
Died	424 BC
Spouse	Artaxerxes I
Issue	Xerxes II
House	Achaemenid
Religion	Zoroastrianism

Damaspia (from Old Persian *Jāmāspi- ^[1] or *ðāmāspyā-^[2]) was an Achaemenid queen, wife of the king Artaxerxes I and mother of Xerxes II, his legitimate heir.

Biography

According to the Greek historian Ctesias of Cnidus, King Artaxerxes and his wife died the same day (424 BC, perhaps during a military expedition), and their corpses were carried to Persia. Xerxes succeeded his father, but was murdered not much later (423 BC) by his half-brother Sogdianus.

The epitome made by Photius of Ctesias' book is the only source that mentions Damaspia by name.^[3] Documents from Babylon dating in Artaxerxes' reign, refer to certain estates as "the house of the woman of the palace". This anonymous woman could be Damaspia, or the queen mother Amestris.^[4] In an episode from the biblical book of Nehemiah (2:6) Artaxerxes is mentioned as being in the company of a royal wife, who could be identified with Damaspia or a consort of lower rank.^[5]^[6]

Notes

^ Schmitt.
^ Hinz.
^ "Photius' excerpt of Ctesias' Persica (2)". www.livius.org. Archived from the original on 2016-12-05.
^ Brosus, pp. 127, 129.
^ Eskenazi 2000, pp. 285-286
^ "Nehemiah 2:6 Commentaries: Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time". biblehub.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.

References

Brosius, M: Women in Ancient Persia, 559-331 BC, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1998.
Schmitt, R: "Damaspia", in Encyclopaedia Iranica. [1]
Hinz, W: Altiranisches Sprachgut der Nebenüberlieferungen, Wiesbaden, 1975

Queens of Ancient Egypt

Protodynastic Period to First Intermediate Period (<3150–2040 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

Early Dynastic
(3150–2686 BC)

I	Neithhotep Benerib Khenthap Herneith Nakhtneith Penebui Merneith Seshemetka Semat Serethor Betrest
II	Menka Nimaathap

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

III	Hetephernebti Djeseretnebti Djefatnebti Meresankh I
IV	Hetepheres I Meritites I Henutsen Khentetka Meresankh II Hetepheres II Meresankh III Khamerernebty I Persenet Hekenuhedjet Khamerernebty II Rekhetre Bunefer
V	Khentkaus I Neferhetepes Meretnebty Khentkaus II Khentkaus III Reptynub Khuit I Nebunebty Meresankh IV Setibhor Nebet Khenut Nimaathap II
VI	Iput I Khuit II Ankhesenpepi I Ankhesenpepi II Nubwenet Meritites IV Inenek-Inti Nedjeftet Neith Iput II Udjebten Ankhesenpepi III Ankhesenpepi IV Nitocris

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Neferu I Neferukayet Iah Tem Neferu II Ashayet Henhenet Sadeh Kawit Kemsit
XII	Neferitatjenen Neferu III Keminub Senet Khenemetneferhedjet I Nofret II Khenmet Khenemetneferhedjet II Neferthenut Meretseger Aat Khenemetneferhedjet III Sobekneferu

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Nofret Nubhetepti Senebhenas Neni Senebsen Tjan Ineni Nubkhaes Aya Abetni Satsobek
XIV	Tati
XVI	Mentuhotep
XVII	Nubemhat Sobekemsaf Haankhes Tetisheri Ahhotep I Ahmose Inhapy Sitdjehuti Ahhotep II

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose-Nefertari Ahmose-Sitkamose Ahmose-Henuttamehu Ahmose-Meritamun Ahmose Mutnofret Hatshepsut Iset Satiah Merytre-Hatshepsut Nebtu Menhet, Menwi and Merti Nebsemi Tiaa Nefertari Iaret Mutemwiya Tiye Gilukhipa Sitamun Iset Tadukhipa / Kiya Nefertiti Meritaten Neferneferuaten Ankhesenamun Tey Mutnedjmet Nebetnehat
XIX	Sitre Tuya Tanedjemet Nefertari Isetnofret Henutmire Maathorneferure Meritamen Bintanath Nebettawy Merytre Isetnofret II Takhat Twosret Tiaa Anuketemheb
XX	Tiy-Merenese Iset Ta-Hemdjert Tyti Tiye Duatentopet Henutwati Tawerettenru Nubkhesbed Baketwernel Tentamun

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Tentamun Mutnedjmet Karimala
XXII	Karomama Penreshnes Maatkare Tashedkhonsu Nesitaudjatakhet Nesitanebetashru Kapes Karomama I Tadibast III
XXIII	Karomama II
XXV	Pebatjma Tabiry Abar Khensa Peksater Arty Qalhata Tabekenamun Takahatenamun Naparaye Atakhebasken Malaqaye

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaoh uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Mehytenweskhet Khedebneithirbinet I Takhuit Tentkheta Nakhtubasterau Ladice
XXVII	Atossa Artystone Parmys Amestris Damaspia Parysatis
XXXI	Stateira I

Hellenistic
(332–30 BC)

Argead	Roxana Stateira II Parysatis II Eurydice II of Macedon
Ptolemaic	Eurydice Berenice I Arsinoe I Arsinoe II Berenice II Arsinoe III Cleopatra I Syra Cleopatra II Cleopatra III Cleopatra IV Cleopatra Selene Berenice III Cleopatra V Cleopatra VI Berenice IV Cleopatra VII Arsinoe IV