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νόμον. There is no hint of any such rule or law, when Cambyses invaded Egypt (ii. 1; iii. 1), Darius Scythia (iv. 1. 83), or Xerxes Greece, though Xerxes clearly made his uncle Artabanus viceroy during his absence (ch. 52). On the other hand, Cyrus is said to have named Cambyses as his successor before his last expedition (i. 208). The fact that the monuments call Cambyses ‘king of Babylon’ in the lifetime of Cyrus (E. Meyer, F. ii. 470-2) cannot be used as an argument, as Babylon was in a special position till the time of Xerxes (i. 183 n.). Perhaps the question arose because Darius was old; on this ground Artaxerxes Mnemon appointed a successor to avoid strife (Plut. Artax. 26): or possibly Plutarch (Mor. 488) and Justin (ii. 10), who call the eldest son Ariamenes, are right in saying that the dispute arose after the death of Darius, and was decided by the intervention of one of his brothers, Artabanus or Artaphrenes.

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