Xerxes was a king of Persia, about 519–465 BC — usually called Xerxes I, or Xerxes the Great. His father Darius had already tried to conquer Greece and failed; Xerxes tried again with an enormous army, won at Thermopylae against the small Greek force led by the Spartan king Leonidas, burned Athens, and then lost his fleet at the sea battle of Salamis and went home.

Xerxes薛西斯 was是 a king of Persia波斯的一位國王, about 519–465 BC大約是西元前519到465年 — usually called通常被稱作 Xerxes I薛西斯一世, or Xerxes the Great或薛西斯大帝。His father Darius他的父親大流士 had already tried to conquer Greece and failed已經試過要征服希臘但失敗了; Xerxes薛西斯 tried again with an enormous army帶著龐大的軍隊再次嘗試, won at Thermopylae在溫泉關打贏 against the small Greek force led by the Spartan king Leonidas由斯巴達國王李奧尼達帶領的希臘小部隊, burned Athens燒了雅典, and then然後 lost his fleet at the sea battle of Salamis在薩拉米斯海戰輸掉艦隊 and went home然後回家了。

That is why his name appears in history class, and in the Greek historian Herodotus, who tells the story from the Greek side.

That is why這就是為什麼 his name appears in history class他的名字會出現在歷史課裡, and也出現在 in the Greek historian Herodotus希臘史學家希羅多德的著作裡, who tells the story from the Greek side他是從希臘那一方的角度來說這個故事的。

Modern students most often meet the name through the film 300, where he is shown as a giant golden king — that picture is entertainment, not history.

Modern students現代學生 most often meet the name最常是透過 through the film 300電影《300壯士》認識這個名字, where裡面 he is shown as他被描繪成 a giant golden king一個巨大的金色國王 — that picture那個形象 is entertainment, not history是娛樂效果，不是歷史事實。

As a name it is capitalised, and there were later Persian kings called Xerxes II and III, so books say "Xerxes I" when they need to be exact. The name is said "ZERK-seez" — the first x is /z/, the second is /ks/.

As a name作為一個名字 it is capitalised它的字首要大寫, and而且 there were later Persian kings後來還有波斯國王 called Xerxes II and III叫做薛西斯二世和三世, so所以 books say書裡在需要精確的時候 "Xerxes I"會寫「薛西斯一世」 when they need to be exact(併入前)。The name這個名字 is said唸法是 "ZERK-seez""ZERK-seez" — the first x第一個x is /z/發/z/的音, the second第二個x is /ks/發/ks/的音。