Spithridates

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Spithridates ( Greek  Σπιθριδάτης ; † 334 BC ) was a high Persian nobleman and governor in the 4th century BC.

He is believed to be the son of Rhosakes , who lived in 344 BC. . As BC satrap of Lydia and Ionia had officiated, and have been a descendant of one of those screens, which used to be the takeover of the Great King Darius I had supported. Spithridates himself served the great king Dareios III. as satrap of Lydia and Ionia, probably as successor to his father's office.

When in 334 BC Chr. Alexander the Great began his Asian campaign, joined Spithridates, together with his younger brother Rhoesakes which Satrapenkoalition to fight off the invasion on. He led forty elite Persian warriors into the battle of the Granikos with the aim of killing Alexander. In a duel, however, Spithridates was killed by the conqueror by throwing a spear. In order to avenge his death, Rhoesakes now took up the fight against Alexander, to whom he led a sword cut to the helmet. When Rhoesakes made a second fatal blow, his sword arm was severed from the body of the Macedonian warrior Kleitos , and he also died of his wound. The duels of the brothers against Alexander were only reported by Diodorus , but Arrian also reported the death of Spithridates on the Granikos.

Lydia fell to Alexander, who appointed General Asandros as his satrap.

Individual evidence

  1. Diodorus 16.47.1-2
  2. Arrian, Anabasis 1.12.8, 1.16.3; by Diodorus, 17.20.2, he was called "Spithrobates".
  3. Diodorus 17.20.3-5.
  4. Arrian, Anabasis 1.16.3.