The Family of Darius Before Alexander

Details

Date

Mid-17th century

Author / Artist

Christoph Veyrier

Dimensions

115 x 142 cm

Material

Marble

Catalogue number

SS.50

Current location

North Hall

In 333 BC, Alexander defeated Darius III, the last king of the Achaemenid Empire, at the Battle of Issus. Though Darius fled, his mother, wife and two daughters were captured by Alexander, who treated them with kindness and honour. According to Plutarch: [He] ‘gave them leave to bury whom they pleased of the Persians, and to make use for this purpose what garments and furniture they thought fit out of the booty. He diminished nothing of their equipage, or of the attentions and respect formerly paid them, and allowed larger pensions for their maintenance than they had before. But the noblest and most royal part of their usage was, that he treated these illustrious prisoners according to their virtue and character.’ (Plutarch 33:21).