Damaspia (fromOld Persian *Jāmāspi-[1] or *ðāmāspyā-[2]) was an Achaemenid queen, wife of the kingArtaxerxes I and mother ofXerxes II, his legitimate heir.
According to the Greek historianCtesias of Cnidus, King Artaxerxes and his wife died the same day (424 BC, perhaps during a military expedition), and their corpses were carried to Persia. Xerxes succeeded his father, but was murdered not much later (423 BC) by his half-brotherSogdianus.
Theepitome made byPhotius of Ctesias' book is the only source that mentions Damaspia by name.[3] Documents fromBabylon dating in Artaxerxes' reign, refer to certainestates as "the house of the woman of the palace". This anonymous woman could be Damaspia, or thequeen motherAmestris.[4] In an episode from the biblical book ofNehemiah (2:6) Artaxerxes is mentioned as being in the company of a royal wife, who could be identified with Damaspia or a consort of lower rank.[5][6]
