Artabanus had a reputation for great wisdom.[3] Artabanus is known to have advised his brother Darius I against the
Achaemenid campaign against the Scythians, saying that the Scythians were "impossible to deal with", but he wasn't heard, and the invasion proceeded, but was ultimately unsuccessful as Artabanus had predicted.[4]
According to
Herodotus, Artabanus saw a ghost enjoining him to allow the invasion of Greece, which decided both him and Xerxes to launch the invasion without delay.[5]
^"The Parthians and Chorasmians had for their commander
Artabazus son of Pharnaces, the Sogdians Azanes son of Artaeus, the Gandarians and Dadicae Artyphius son of Artabanus." in Herodotus
VII 64-66