Lydia (satrapy)
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Lydia (known as Sparda by the Achaemenids) was a satrapy (province) of the Achaemenid Empire, with Sardis as its capitol. Tabalus, appointed by Cyrus the Great was the first satrap (governor), however, his rule did not last long as the Lydians revolted. The insurrection was suppressed by general Mazares and his successor Harpagus. After Cyrus' death, a man named Oroetus became satrap. Oroetus ruled during the reign of Cambyses and after the chaotic period after the kings death, he conquered the Greek isle of Samos, killing its ruler Polycrates. Due to his growing power, Darius the Great had Bagaeus kill Oroetus. Bagaeus himself may have become satrap for a short period, but the next rulers were Otanes and Darius' the younger brother, Artaphernes.
During the Ionian revolt in 499, Sardes was sacked by the Greeks. Five years later, the rebellion was suppressed and to the surprise of the Greek world, Artaphernes was very lenient in his treatment of the rebels.
After this period, many Iranians settled in Lydia. The worship of eastern gods such as Anahita, as well as "persified" Lydian deities, began. Although Iranians and Persian landlords were given many of the estates of the region due to the Greek revolt, loyal Greeks were also given estates.
Artaphernes was succeeded in 492 by his son, also called Artaphernes. From the period of 480 to 440, not much is known of Lydia. In 440, the satrap Pissuthnes attempted to retake Samos, which had rebelled against Athens, but failed. In 420, he revolted against Darius II Nothus, for unknown reasons. Tissaphernes, a nobleman, was sent to Lydia to arrest and execute Pissuthnes. Tissaphernes became satrap in 415 and continue to fight Amorges, son of Pissunthnes.
After Sparta had defeated Athens, the Greeks invaded Lydia. Tissaphernes overcame the invasion of Thibron in 399 but was defeated at Sardes by the Spartan King Agesilaus. The satrap was executed and replaced by Tiribazus who restored order in Lydia and was responsible for a series of treaties between the Persian king and the Greek city states.
Autophradates was probably Tiribazus' direct successor, and was loyal to the Achaemenid monarch during a series of revolts in 370. The last satrap of Lydia was Spithridates, who was killed by Alexander the Great at the battle of Granicus.
[edit] Satraps
- Tabalus (546-545 BCE)
- Mazares (545-ca. 544 BCE)
- Harpagus (ca. 544-?)
- Oroetus (before 530- ca. 520 BCE)
- Bagaeus (ca. 520-? BCE)
- Otanes (517 BCE)
- Artaphernes I (513-492 BCE)
- Artaphernes II (492-after 480 BCE)
- Pissuthnes (before 440-415 BCE)
- Tissaphernes (ca. 415-408 BCE)
- Cyrus the Younger (408-401 BCE)
- Tissaphernes (400-395 BCE)
- Tiribazus (395-? BCE)
- Autophradates (c.365 BCE)
- Spithridates (?-until 334 BCE)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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