Description: (Pharaoh of Egypt)
Bardiya, also known as Smerdis or Tanyoxarces, was at the center of a major political dispute in the Achaemenid Empire in 522 BCE. He briefly held power before being deposed by Darius the Great, who alleged that Bardiya was an imposter named Gaumata. This incident sparked a time of uncertainty and political scheming within the empire. Despite the controversy surrounding his reign, Bardiya's tenure as ruler was brief and overshadowed by the ensuing struggle for power.