In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
Ver. 1. In the first year of Darius,] i.e., Of Darius Priseus, who, together with Cyrus the Persian, took Babylon, and with it the kingdom or monarchy of the Chaldeans, Dan 5:31 by the consent of Cyrus, who married his daughter, and had the kingdom of Media with her for a dowry, after Darius' death, as Xenophon a testifieth.
The son of Ahasuerus.] Called Cyaxares by the Greek historians. Both these names signify a great prince, an emperor; like as now we say the Great Turk, the Great Cham of Cacaia, &c.
a Cyrop., lib. viii.