Book of Ezra
Historical background

King of Persia
Reign (BC)
Main events
Correlation with Ezra–Nehemiah
Cyrus II
550[?]–530
539 BC Fall of Babylon
Directive to the Jews to rebuild the Temple and first return of the exiles to Jerusalem (taken as occurring in 538, since Babylon fell in October 539)
Cambyses
530–522
525 Conquest of Egypt
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Darius I
522–486
Secures the throne in 520/519 after fighting off various rivals; failed punitive invasion of Greece
515 Temple rebuilt. In the book of Daniel, Darius has the old title of Darius I (king of the Chaldeans = Babylonians), while Koresh has the new one of Xerxes (king of the Persians).
Xerxes
486–465
Failed attempt to conquer Greece; beginning of struggle with Greeks for control of the eastern Mediterranean
(Alternative) directive by Koresh to the Jews to rebuild the Temple and first return of the exiles to Jerusalem.
Artaxerxes I
465–424
460–456 Successful suppression of Greek-supported revolt in Egypt 449 Revolt by Megabyzus, governor of the territory which included Judah
Currently most widely accepted period for arrival of Ezra "in the seventh year of Artaxerxes" Second return of the exiles to Jerusalem (in 458 if the king is Artaxerxes I, or 428 if the year is read as his thirty-seventh instead of his seventh) 445–433 Nehemiah's mission (returns before the death of Artaxerxes)
Darius II
423–404
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(Alternative) Temple rebuilt.
Artaxerxes II
404–358
401 Egypt regains independence
(Alternative) period for arrival of Ezra and second return of exiles to Jerusalem (in 398 if the king is Artaxerxes II)
Artaxerxes III
358–338
Egypt reconquered
In his Historia Scholastica Petrus Comestor identified Artaxerxes III as king Ahasuerus in the book of Esther (Esther 1:1/10:1-2).
Darius III
336–330
The Achaemenid Empire conquered by Alexander the Great
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Question: Which year did Koresh of Ezra became "king of Persia", and who created the title?
Answer: Koresh of Ezra is "king of Persia", which title was introduced not by Cyrus, but by Xerxes (486–465 BC).