Xerxes' Sacrifice of the Nine

The Xerxes' Sacrifice of the Nine was a site within the Roots of an Empire, the easternmost region of Makedonia, west of Amphipolis.

History[edit | edit source]

As the story goes, in early 5th century BCE when the Persian King Xerxes I invaded Greece, he had to stop here before crossing the river Strymon. He called forth nine young men and nine young women, and had them buried alive while sacrificing white horses. Having done this, he and his army crossed the river.^[1]

By the late 5th century BCE, the site was claimed as a campsite by a detachment of Followers of Ares. During the Peloponnesian War, the site was visited by the Spartan misthios Kassandra, who eliminated the Followers' local chief and claimed their valuables.^[2]

After the Order of Hunters, a branch of the Order of the Ancients, infiltrated Greece, Konon the Fighter joined the Followers of Ares at the site and made the ruins his base of operations. When Kassandra learned of the Order, she sought out Konon and slew him.^[3]

Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

The name of the place references save for the number of the sacrificed boys and girls, also the Thracian settlement of Ennea-Hodoi (meaning Nine Ways/Roads), upon which Amphipolis was built. It was also whence Xerxes gathered the boys and girls to be sacrificed.