# Cambyses — Histories character guide

> Cambyses in Histories by Herodotus.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the Persians Cambyses

**First appearance:** 0004-book-iii-thaleia

## Snapshot

Cyrus' son, who adds Egypt to the Persian empire and then, by Herodotus' account, unravels into sacrilege, kin-murder, and a madness that costs him everything.

## Who they are

Cambyses inherits his father's empire and immediately marches on Egypt, defeating Psammenitos and dragging the pharaoh's daughter into slavery. His contempt for Egyptian religion, his killing of the sacred Apis calf, and the murder of his brother Smerdis turn his own household into a minefield. His decline is the moral hinge Herodotus uses to show that Persian power, unchecked, breeds its own collapse.

## Relationships

### [Cyrus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/cyrus)

_family_

Cambyses is the son and successor of Cyrus, inheriting his empire and often acting in his shadow.

### [Darius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/darius)

_rivalry_

Cambyses and Darius are rivals for power, with Darius ultimately seizing the throne after Cambyses' death.

### [Xerxes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/xerxes)

_family_

Xerxes is the son of Darius, not Cambyses, but is often compared to Cambyses as a later Persian king.

### [Mardonios](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/mardonios)

_professional_

Mardonios serves as a general under Cambyses, later becoming a key figure in Persian campaigns.

### [Psammetichos](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/psammetichos)

_rivalry_

Cambyses conquers Egypt and humiliates Psammetichos, the deposed pharaoh.

### [Miltiades](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/miltiades)

_rivalry_

Miltiades opposes Cambyses during the Persian campaigns in Greece and Thrace.

### [Cyrus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/cyrus)

_family_

Cambyses is the son and successor of Cyrus, inheriting his empire and often acting in his shadow.

### [Xerxes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/xerxes)

_family_

Xerxes is the son of Darius, not Cambyses, but is often compared to Cambyses as a later Persian king.

### [Cyrus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/cyrus)

_family_

Cambyses is the son and successor of Cyrus, inheriting his empire and often acting in his shadow.

### [Darius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/darius)

_rivalry_

Cambyses and Darius are rivals for power, with Darius ultimately seizing the throne after Cambyses' death.

### [Darius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/darius)

_rivalry_

Cambyses and Darius are rivals for power, with Darius ultimately seizing the throne after Cambyses' death.

### [Mardonios](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/mardonios)

_professional_

Mardonios serves as a general under Cambyses, later becoming a key figure in Persian campaigns.

## In the story

### [Book I: Clio](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/chapters/book-i-clio)

Son of Cyrus, entrusted with Croesus and the kingdom before the campaign.

### [Book II: Euterpe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/chapters/book-ii-euterpe)

Son of Cyrus, inherits the Persian throne and leads an army against Egypt.

### [Book III: Thaleia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/chapters/book-iii-thaleia)

King of Persia, depicted as mad for deriding Egyptian religious rites and attempting to kill Croesus.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/cambyses
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters