Pythius

Pythius (also sometimes spelled Pytheus) was a wealthy Lydian residing in Celaenae (present-day Dinar, Turkey) during the reign of Xerxes I of Persia in the 5th century BCE. He is primarily known for his extraordinary wealth and his interaction with Xerxes during the latter's invasion of Greece.

According to Herodotus, Pythius lavishly entertained Xerxes and his vast army with a grand feast as they passed through Celaenae. Impressed by Xerxes, Pythius offered him a substantial amount of money to support the Persian war effort, which Xerxes initially declined, but later accepted, adding to the sum from his own treasury.

Later, as the Persian army neared its departure for Greece, Pythius requested that one of his five sons be excused from military service, allowing him to remain at home and care for the family estate. Xerxes, initially granting the request, then had the son executed, dividing the corpse and placing it along the route of the army's march as a grim demonstration of his absolute power and the demands of his campaign. This act highlights the arbitrary cruelty and the immense scale of Xerxes' ambition.

The tale of Pythius serves as a historical anecdote illustrating the wealth and power dynamics within the Achaemenid Empire, as well as the impact of Xerxes' military campaigns on the local populations within his vast domain. The story is primarily derived from Herodotus' Histories, and while the details may be subject to interpretation, Pythius remains a significant figure in accounts of the Persian Wars.