ecessor of _Astyages_ the father of
_Mandane_, and grandfather of _Cyrus_, and telling us, that this _Astyages_
married _Ariene_ the daughter of _Alyattes_ King of _Lydia_, and was at
length taken prisoner and deprived of his dominion by _Cyrus_: and
_Pausanias_ hath copied after _Herodotus_, in telling us that _Astyages_
the son of _Cyaxeres_ Reigned in _Media_ in the days of _Alyattes_ King of
_Lydia_. _Cyaxeres_ had a son who married _Ariene_ the daughter of
_Alyattes_; but this son was not the father of _Mandane_, and grandfather
of _Cyrus_, but of the same age with _Cyrus_: and his true name is
preserved in the name of the _Darics_, which upon the conquest of _Croesus_
by the conduct of his General _Cyrus_, he coyned out of the gold and silver
of the conquered _Lydians_: his name was therefore _Darius_, as he is
called by _Daniel_; for _Daniel_ tells us, that this _Darius_ was a _Mede_,
and that his father's name was _Assuerus_, that is _Axeres_ or _Cyaxeres_,
as above: considering therefore that _Cyaxeres_ Reigned long, and that no
author mentions more Kings of _Media_ than one called _Astyages_, and that
_AEschylus_ who lived in those days knew but of two great Monarchs of
_Media_ and _Persia_, the father and the son, older than _Cyrus_; it seems
to me that _Astyages_, the father of _Mandane_ and grandfather of _Cyrus_,
was the father and predecessor of _Cyaxeres_; and that the son and
successor of _Cyaxeres_ was called _Darius_. _Cyaxeres_, [405] according to
_Herodotus_, Reigned 40 years, and his successor 35, and _Cyrus_, according
to _Xenophon_, seven: _Cyrus_ died _Anno Nabonass._ 219, according to the
Canon, and therefore _Cyaxeres_ died _Anno Nabonass._ 177, and began his
Reign _Anno Nabonass._ 137, and his father _Astyages_ Reigned 26 years,
beginning his Reign at the death of _Phraortes_, who was slain by the
_Assyrians_, _Anno Nabonass._ 111, as above.

Of all the Kings of the _Medes_, _Cyaxeres_ was greatest warrior.
_Herodotus_ [406] saith that he was much more valiant than his ancestors,
and that he was the first who divided the Kingdom into provinces, and
reduced the irregular and undisciplined forces of the _Medes_ into
discipline and order: and therefore by the testimony of _Herodotus_ he was
that King of the _Medes_ whom _AEschylus_ makes the first conqueror and
founder of the Empire; for _Herodotus_ represents him and his son to have
been the two immediate predecessors of _Cyrus_, erring only in t