Mania (satrap)

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Mania (Greek Μανία , * before 440 BC; † around 399 BC) administered under the Persian satrap (governor) Pharnabazos II at the end of the 5th century BC. Parts of the Troas as subatrapine. She was the widow of the sub-satrap Zenis (Greek Ζῆνις ) and like him came from Dardanos .

After the death of her husband, Mania was allowed to independently continue to administer his dominion in the Troas. It was possible that high administrative posts were occupied by women in the Persian Empire , as the example of the Carian satrap Artemisia shows, but it happened extremely rarely. According to Xenophon , Mania is said to have weighed the most influential people in the court with gifts and was able to convince Pharnabazos II of her leadership skills with her courageous demeanor and resolute speech.

As a sub-satrap, Mania led successful campaigns with an army of Greek mercenaries and expanded the Persian domain in Asia Minor by conquering autonomous Greek coastal cities in the Troas: Larisa , Hamaxitos and Kolonai . She did not actively fight in the campaigns, but took part in the war as an observer from a car and motivated the army by rewarding them for good performance.

In order to maintain her power, Mania orientated herself on explicitly male norms of behavior: During her governorship she made rich gifts to Pharnabazos II, reliably paid the taxes in the usual amount and behaved loyally to her superiors. Pharnabazos valued her as a particularly good hostess. Xenophon contrasts her loyalty and reliability with her son-in-law Meidias , whom he portrays as an unscrupulous putschist. Mania supported Pharnabazos II against the rebellious Myser and Pisider and took part with her mercenary army personally in these military campaigns.

Because of her behavior, which corresponded to male norms, Mania enjoyed a high level of respect and was respected as a consultant (Greek σύμβουλος ) at Pharnabazos:

“She also took part in the campaigns of Pharnabazos (...). Conversely, Pharnabazos treated her with the respect it deserves, high personalities, and occasionally called her over to hear her advice. "

- Xenophon : Hellenika 3,1,13.

In addition to the positive character drawing , Xenophon judges Mania as a tyrant , and a fate typical of a tyrant befell her: Mania was murdered by her son-in-law Meidias at the age of forty, and her 17-year-old son also fell victim to Meidias' striving for power. The usurper was unable to establish himself as most of the cities previously controlled by Mania did not surrender to him. Pharnabazos II did not recognize him as the new administrator. When the Spartan general Derkylidas arrived shortly afterwards , most of the cities of the Aiolis fell away from the Persians. Derkylidas conquered the former satrapy of mania and seized their treasures in the cities of Skepticism and Gergis .

swell

  • Xenophon , Hellenika 3,1,10-16
  • Gisela Strasburger (Ed.): Xenophon. Hellenika. Greek-German . 3. Edition. Artemis & Winkler, Düsseldorf 2000, pp. 156-161
  • Jean Hatzfeld (Ed.): Xénophon. Helléniques. Tome I (Livres I-III). Texts établi et traduit par J. Hatzfeld , Société d'Édition “Les Belles Lettres” , Paris 1949, pp. 114–116

literature

  • Peter Krentz (Ed.): Xenophon. Hellenika II.3.11 - IV.2.8. Edited with an Introduction, Translation and Commentary by Peter Krentz , Warminster 1995
  • Karl Fiehn : Mania 3. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen antiquity (RE). Volume XIV, 1, Stuttgart 1928, column 1109.
  • Peter Högemann : Mania 3. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 7, Metzler, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-476-01477-0 , Sp. 814.
  • David M. Lewis: Sparta and Persia. Lectures delivered at the University of Cincinnati, Autumn 1976 in memory of Donald W. Bradeen (= Cincinnati Classical Studies. New Series. Volume I), Brill, Leiden 1977, p. 55; 81; 123; 128

Remarks

  1. ↑ On Artemisia see Herodotus , Historien 7,99 and 8,68-69; see. Krentz 1995, 163: "Mania resembles Herodotos' Artemisia in the way she resumes power, in her loyalty, in her fighting ability, and in her counsel".
  2. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,10-12.
  3. ↑ In Mania's conquests of autonomous Greek cities, purely Greek mercenary armies were in action, says Lewis 1977, 123 fn. 102: "In the clearest cases where there was Persian encroachment on the independence of Greek cities, Mania's acquisitions in the Troad on behalf of Pharnabazos, it is clear that only Greek troops were used both for their acquisition and for the garrisons (X. Hell. III 1.13,16) "; see. also Lewis 1077, 128 footnote 123.
  4. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,13.
  5. ↑ Lewis 1977, 55, footnote 32: “Note also Zenis of Dardanos and his wife Mania, 'satraps' of Pharnabazos in 'his' Aeolis. They are certainly dependent on him and tribute-paying, which does not stop them from being very wealthy, X. Hell. III 1.10-28 ".
  6. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,12; "And every time Pharnabazos came down to her in the country, she prepared him a reception as splendid and pleasant as none of the other governors" (Translator Strasburger 2000, 157-159).
  7. ↑ Krentz 1995, 163: "Xenophon uses Mania as a contrast to her son-in-law Meidias, who lacks her loyalty and deference".
  8. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,13; see. Krentz 1995, 164: "Perhaps Mania and Pharnabazos had accompanied the satrap of Sardis against the Pisidians".
  9. ^ Translation: Strasburger 2000, 159.
  10. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,14; see. Krentz 1995, 164.
  11. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,14.
  12. ↑ Xenophon, Hellenika 3,1,15.
personal data
SURNAME Mania
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Μανία
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Persian governor
DATE OF BIRTH before 440 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH around 399 BC Chr.