Atossa, daughter of King Cyrus the Great, was politically savvy and mastered the art of moving levers of power and influence through her marriages to her brother and a possible usurper.
The podcast discusses Xerxes, an Oriental prince born to rule without tolerance for opposition or setbacks. Historians like A.R. Byrne have pointed out that there are some good qualities to Xerxes that are often overlooked in traditional narratives.
Xerxes is known as the first Persian king to have a reputation for decadence, luxury, and a little bit of a jerk when he starts imposing his way of doing things in places such as Egypt. This stands out compared to the earlier kings who allowed people to keep their religion and way of doing things.