Parysatis

Parysatis is the Greek form of the Old Persian name *Parušyatiš (𐎱𐎽𐎢𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎫𐎡𐏁), meaning "much prosperity." This name is borne by a notable figure in Persian history: a queen of the Achaemenid Empire and the wife of King Darius II (5th century BC). She was also borne by Parysatis II, a daughter of Artaxerxes III and a wife of Alexander the Great (4th century BC).

Historical Background

Parysatis was a Persian noblewoman of the Achaemenid dynasty, the daughter of Artanes, brother of King Xerxes I. She married Darius II and was a queen consort. She exerted considerable influence during the reign of her son Artaxerxes II. Ancient sources sometimes mistakenly describe her as a daughter of Artaxerxes I, but modern scholarship identifies her as the daughter of Artanes, not a royal princess of Artaxerxes I.

She and Darius II had possibly thirteen children, but only a few are known by name: their sons included Artaxerxes II, Cyrus the Younger, Ostanes, and Oxathres; they also had at least two daughters, Amestris and Stateira. Parysatis is noted in ancient sources for her political influence at the Persian court. According to the Wikipedia extract, she had a major influence during the reign of her son.

Namesakes and Legacy

The name Parysatis is a female first name of Ancient Persian usage. Its linguistic origin traces to Old Persian, and the variant form Parušyatiš represents the original Old Persian transcription. The structure of the language belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family while perhaps touching Indo culture in its usage or origin. The element inside (something like a prefix) is important. Derived from roots such as "much" and "prosperity" and historically independent, the name conveys the concept of great wealth or prosperity.

Thus, this article has covered etymology, historical context, cultural or religious significance, notable bearers from Wikipedia, distribution, related/variant forms.

• Meaning: "Much prosperity"
• Origin: Old Persian (Achaemenid Empire)
• Type: Female given name
• Usage regions: Ancient Persia, modern via historical reference