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Artabazos II (fl. 389 – 328 BC) was a
Persian general and satrap of
Hellespontine
Phrygia. He was the son of the Persian satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia
Pharnabazus II, and younger kinsman (most probably nephew) of Ariobarzanes of
Phrygia who revolted against Artaxerxes II around 356 BC. His first wife was an
unnamed Greek woman from Rhodes, sister of the two mercenaries Mentor of Rhodes
and Memnon of Rhodes.[1] Towards the end of his life, he became satrap of
Bactria for Alexander the Great.
Revolt of Datames In 362 BC, Artabazos was sent by Artaxerxes II to capture
Datames, the satrap of Cappadocia, who had joined in the Satraps' revolt to
which participated Artabazus' brother, Ariobarzanes. However, Artabazos was
defeated by Datames.[2] Artaxerxes II ultimately prevailed, and Ariobarzanes
was crucified and Datames assassinated.
Rebellion against Artaxerxes III Following the capture and death of his
brother, Artabazos was made satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia, but in 356 BC he
refused obedience to the new Persian king, Artaxerxes III. Artaxerxes had
ordered the disbanding of all the satrapal armies of Asia Minor, as he felt
that they could no longer guarantee peace in the west and was concerned that
these armies equipped the western satraps with the means to revolt.[3] The
order was ignored by Artabazus, who asked for the help of Athens in a rebellion
against the king. Artabazos then became involved in a revolt against the king
and against other satraps who acknowledged the authority of Artaxerxes III.
Artabazos was at first supported by Chares, an Athenian general, and his
mercenaries, whom he rewarded very generously. The gold coinage of Artabazos is
thought to have been issued specifically to reward the troops of Chares.[4] The
Satrap of Mysia, Orontes I, was also on his side. Later, Artabazos was also
supported by the Thebans, who sent him 5,000 men under Pammenes. With the
assistance of these and other allies, Artabazos defeated the King in two great
battles. However, Artaxerxes III was later able to deprive Artabazos of his
Athenian and Boeotian allies by counter-bribing them, whereupon Artabazos was
defeated by the king's general, Autophradates, and was taken prisoner. Mentor
and Memnon, two brothers-in-law of Artabazos, who had supported him, still
continued the revolt, as they were aided by the Athenian mercenary leader,
Charidemus. Together they were able to free Artabazos.
Exile in Macedonia at the court of Philip II (352–342 BC) After this,
Artabazos seems either to have continued his rebellious operations or at least
started a fresh revolt. However, eventually, he had no choice but to flee with
Memnon and his family. They went into exile and took refuge at the court of
Philip II of Macedonia in Pella, together with their 11 sons and 10
daughters.[5] Artabazos, who was 37, and his family were exiled at the court of
Philip II for about ten years, from 352 to 342, and during that time Artabazos
became acquainted with the future Alexander the Great.[6][7] Barsine, daughter
of Artabazos, and future wife of Alexander, grew up at the Macedonian court.[7]
Return to Persia During the absence of Artabazos, Mentor of Rhodes, his
brother-in-law, was of great service to the king of Persia in his war against
Nectanebo II of Egypt. After the close of this war, in the summer of 342 BC,
Artaxerxes gave Mentor the command against the rebellious satraps of western
Asia. Mentor took advantage of this opportunity to ask the king to grant a
pardon to Artabazos and Memnon. The king agreed and both men and their families
were able to return to Persia.[8] In the subsequent reign of Darius III
Codomannus, Artabazos distinguished himself by his loyalty and commitment to
the new Persian king. He took part in the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC, and
afterwards accompanied Darius on his flight from Alexander's Macedonian armies.
Hellenistic satrap of Bactria After the final defeat and death of Darius III in
330 BC, Alexander recognised and rewarded Artabazos for his loyalty to the
Persian king by giving him the satrapy of Bactria, a post he held until his
death in 328 BC.[9]
Family:
Artabazos' daughter, Barsine, may have married Alexander and may have been the
mother of Heracles. Another daughter, Artacama, was given in marriage to
Ptolemy; and a third daughter, Artonis, was given in marriage to Eumenes. For
Barsine, the daughter of Artabazus, who was the first lady Alexander took to
his bed in Asia, and who brought him a son named Heracles, had two sisters; one
of which, called Apame, he gave to Ptolemy; and the other, called Artonis, he
gave to Eumenes, at the time when he was selecting Persian ladies as wives for
his friends. —?Plutarch, The Life of Eumenes.[10] In 328 BC, Artabazos
resigned his satrapy, which was given to Cleitus the Black. Artabazos also had
a son named Pharnabazus (fl. 370–320 BC).
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