Babylonia (satrapy)

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Babylonia was incorporated into the Persian Empire as a satrapy with the beginning of Achaemenid rule under the old Persian name Babairu / Bābiruš ; she is one of the best attested satrapies in the Achaemenid Empire.

Until Dareios I (522 to 486 BC) she formed a double satrapy with the satrapy of Ebir-Nari (perhaps the satrapy of Assyria , the double satrapy of Eber-Nari and Babylonia). There are indications that satrapy was temporarily divided and hints of satrapy of Mesopotamia . Since the satrapies are often only known from Greek sources, it is often uncertain to what extent Greek writers were informed in detail about the conditions in the Achaemenid Empire or to what extent there were confusions.

Alexander the Great and the following Seleucids took over the provincial division of the satrapies. Under Antiochus III. the satrapy of the Erythraean Sea was separated from the satrapy of Babylonia . This provincial administration seems to have continued under the Parthians as well.

The following satraps of Babylonia are known from Greek sources and from cuneiform texts .

Double Satrapy Ebir-Nari (Transmesopotamia) and Babylonia (Babairu)

Surname Term of office comment
Sardanapalos (pre-Persian)
Cambyses II Cyrus II 538-537 BC Chr.
Gobryas II. Cyrus II / Cambyses II 536-522 BC Chr.
Hystanes (Uštannu) Dareios I , 1st to 6th year 521-515 BC Chr.
Hytanna Dareios I, 36th year known from a cuneiform text
Zopyros I. Dareios I or Xerxes I. Classification as a satrap not sure

Satraps of Babylonia

Surname Term of office comment
Tritantaichmes Xerxes I. is in Herodotus called
Megapanos Xerxes I. Son of Tritantaichmes is in Herodotus called
Artarios Artaxerxes I to Dareios II. Brother of Artaxerxes I.
Sicha Darius II unsure
Menostanes Artaxerxes I to Dareios II.
Gobryas II. Darius II
Rhoparas unsure
Bupares Dareios III. unsure

Satraps in Hellenistic times

Surname Term of office comment
Mazaios Alexander the Great up to 328 BC In office
Stamenes Alexander the Great 328 to 321 BC Chr.
Archon from 323 to 321 BC Chr.
Dokimos Perdiccas from 321 BC Chr.
Seleucus I.
Theron Antiochus I.
Timarchus Antiochus IV. unsure

Satraps in Parthian times

Surname Term of office comment
Himeros Phraates II.
Mithridates Artabanos II.

literature

  • Hilmar Klinkott : The satrap. An Achaemenid office holder and his room for maneuver (= Oikumene. Studies on ancient world history; Vol. 1). Verlag Antike, Berlin 2005, ISBN 978-3-938032-02-2 , pp. 453–454, 505–506 ( review ).