Orontobates

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Orontobates († after 316 BC) was governor in Asia during the time of the Diadoch Wars .

After Antigonus Monophthalmos in the late year 316 BC. BC had defeated his arch enemy Eumenes in the battle of Gabiene , he carried out a redistribution of the Asian provinces of the Alexander Empire as the new "Lord of Asia" , in which he primarily exchanged governors ( satraps ) he did not like for his own followers. The ambitious satrap of the big media ("lower media"), Peithon , had organized a plot against Antigonus immediately after Gabiene, but failed and was executed.

Antigonos then appointed Orontobates, who was born in Mede, as the new satrap in the major media with its capital Ekbatana . He was provided with the Macedonian Hippostratos as strategos with a troop contingent. After Antigonos then moved on towards Persepolis , Orontobates and his strategos had to defend themselves against attacks by the friends of Peithon, who plundered through the media.

Thereafter, Orontobates is no longer reported. For the year 311 BC The historian Appian ( Syriake 55) noted that Nikanor was a satrap of the media. It is possible that this was Appian’s mistake, as Nikanor was born in 316 BC. Was appointed by Antigonus as his strategos of the eastern satrapies, i.e. military commander-in-chief of all provinces east of the Euphrates, with the Median Ekbatana as headquarters, which may result in a confusion of the office in Appian. Just in the year 311 BC Ekbatana was conquered by Seleukos , so that the lower media belonged to the Seleucid Empire .

Orontobates is not to be confused with Orontopates , the former satrap of Caria .

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personal data
SURNAME Orontobates
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Satrap of major media
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH after 316 BC Chr.