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According to [[Xenophon]], ''Cyaxares II'' ruled as king after the natural death of [[Astyages]] and sought to defended [[Medes|Media]] from Assyrian/[[Babylonia|Babylonian]] aggression, promoting his yet unascended nephew [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus]] as General/leader of the allied forces.  Furthermore, [[Xenophon]] in great detail records the history of [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus']] pre-emptive strike and campaigns with ''Cyaxares II'', the first battle of which the king of Babylon (probably [[Neriglissar]]) was decisively defeated and slain.  During the plunder of this battle [[Cyaxares II]] and [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] were separated and Cyrus continued to campaign alone with [[Cyaxares II]] eventually returning to [[Ecbatana]].  The volume records how Cyrus fused the alliance of nations under his banner until after several years Cyrus stands at the very gates of [[Babylon]] itself.  [[Xenophon]] then very significantly records how after the conquest of [[Babylon]], [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] travelled to [[Ecbatana]] wherein he met [[Cyaxares II]], gifting him a palace in Babylon and accepted the hand of his daughter with the Kingdom of Media as her dowry.  [[Xenophon]] then records how [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] travelled to Persia after the death of his father [[Cambyses I]] to receive his father's office.

According to [[Xenophon]], ''Cyaxares II'' ruled as king after the natural death of [[Astyages]] and sought to defended [[Medes|Media]] from Assyrian/[[Babylonia|Babylonian]] aggression, promoting his yet unascended nephew [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus]] as General/leader of the allied forces.  Furthermore, [[Xenophon]] in great detail records the history of [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus']] pre-emptive strike and campaigns with ''Cyaxares II'', the first battle of which the king of Babylon (probably [[Neriglissar]]) was decisively defeated and slain.  During the plunder of this battle [[Cyaxares II]] and [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] were separated and Cyrus continued to campaign alone with [[Cyaxares II]] eventually returning to [[Ecbatana]].  The volume records how Cyrus fused the alliance of nations under his banner until after several years Cyrus stands at the very gates of [[Babylon]] itself.  [[Xenophon]] then very significantly records how after the conquest of [[Babylon]], [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] travelled to [[Ecbatana]] wherein he met [[Cyaxares II]], gifting him a palace in Babylon and accepted the hand of his daughter with the Kingdom of Media as her dowry.  [[Xenophon]] then records how [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus]] travelled to Persia after the death of his father [[Cambyses I]] to receive his father's office.

This record stands in direct contrast with the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]], [[Herodotus]], [[Ctesias]], [[Canon of Ptolemy]] and the [[Uruk King List]] on the one side.  But on the other, it alone offers a satisfactory reason as to why the [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] twice has rebels claiming to be "of the family of Cyaxares"<ref>[[Darius I]], Behistun Inscription, Rebellion of  Phraortes, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-13/</ref><ref>[[Darius I]], Behistun Inscription, Rebellion of Tritantaechmes, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-21/</ref> and not "of the family of Astyages"; while it must also be noted that if these rebels were referring to [[Astyages]] father [[Cyaxares I]], then claims to the throne that are over a hundred years old does not make for a strong case! It must also be noted that this inscription is the dictate of [[Darius I]] himself, who in turn is the son of one [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus']] right hand men who lived these events. Now when one considers the [[Book of Daniel|Book of Daniel's]] claim that Darius the Mede "took the kingdom" (rather than the Cyrus) despite known physical history, this claim is harmonized when [[Josephus]] records that "Darius the Mede" "was the son of Astyages" but "known to the Greeks by another name".

This record stands in direct contrast regarding the existence of [[Cyaxares II]] with the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]]<ref>Nabonidas Chronicle, ''Column ii.1-4'', https://www.livius.org/sources/content/mesopotamian-chronicles-content/abc-7-nabonidus-chronicle/</ref>, [[Herodotus]] and [[Ctesias]] accounts, [[Ptolemy's Canon]]<ref>Ptolemy's Canon, https://www.livius.org/articles/concept/ptolemys-canon/</ref> and the [[Uruk King List]]<ref>Uruk King List, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/uruk-king-list/</ref> on the one side.  But on the other, it alone offers a satisfactory reason as to why the authoritative [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]] twice has rebels claiming to be "of the family of Cyaxares"<ref>[[Darius I]], Behistun Inscription, Rebellion of  Phraortes, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-13/</ref><ref>[[Darius I]], Behistun Inscription, Rebellion of Tritantaechmes, https://www.livius.org/sources/content/behistun-persian-text/behistun-t-21/</ref> and not "of the family of Astyages" (being the last monarch of Media if the likes of the [[Nabonidus Chronicle]] are true) ; while it must also be noted that if these rebels were referring to [[Astyages]] father [[Cyaxares I]], then claims to the throne that are over a hundred years old does not make for a strong case! It must also be noted that this inscription is the dictate of [[Darius I]] himself, who in turn is the son of one [[Cyrus II the Great|Cyrus']] right hand men who lived these events. Now when one considers the [[Book of Daniel|Book of Daniel's]] claim that Darius the Mede "took the kingdom" (rather than the Cyrus) despite known physical history, this claim is harmonized when [[Josephus]] records that "Darius the Mede" "was the son of Astyages" but "known to the Greeks by another name".

Herein, historians are forced to make a choice between the account of [[Xenophon|Xenophon's]] [[Cyropaedia]], backed by the immensely authoritative [[Behistun (insription)|Behistun Inscription]], or these contrary works.

Herein, historians are forced to make a choice between the account of [[Xenophon|Xenophon's]] [[Cyropaedia]], backed by the immensely authoritative [[Behistun (inscription)|Behistun Inscription]], or these contrary works.

=== In the works of Josephus ===

=== In the works of Josephus ===