Now _Thucydides_, an unquestionable witness,
tells us, that the news of the death of _Artaxerxes Longimanus_ was brought
to _Ephesus_, and from thence by some _Athenians_ to _Athens_, in the 7th
year of this _Peloponnesian_ war, when the winter half year was running;
and therefore he died _An._ 4 _Olymp._ 88, in the end of _An. J.P._ 4289,
suppose a month or two before midwinter; for so long the news would be in
coming. Now _Artaxerxes Longimanus_ reigned 40 years, by the consent of
_Diodorus_, _Eusebius_, _Jerome_, _Sulpitius_; or 41, according to _Ptol.
in can. Clem. Alexand._ l. 1. _Strom. Chron. Alexandr_. _Abulpharagius_,
_Nicephorus_, including therein the reign of his successors _Xerxes_ and
_Sogdian_, as _Abulpharagius_ informs us. After _Artaxerxes_ reigned his
son _Xerxes_ two months, and _Sogdian_ seven months; but their reign is not
reckoned apart in summing up the years of the Kings, but is included in the
40 or 41 years reign of _Artaxerxes_: omit these nine months, and the
precise reign of _Artaxerxes_ will be thirty nine years and three months.
And therefore since his reign ended in the beginning of winter _An. J.P._
4289, it began between midsummer and autumn, _An. J.P._ 4250.
The same thing I gather also thus. _Cambyses_ began his reign in spring
_An. J.P._ 4185, and reigned eight years, including the five months of
_Smerdes_; and then _Darius Hystaspis_ began in spring _An.
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