Achaemenid satrap of Lydia and Ionia (died 334 BC)
Spithridates
Coin of Spithridates, Achaemenid Satrap of Sparda (Lydia and Ionia), circa 334 BC
In office 365 – 334 BCPreceded by Autophradates Succeeded by position abolished
Died 334 BC At the Granicus in the Troad region (modern-day Biga River , Turkey ) Allegiance Achaemenid Empire Battles/wars
Spithridates (Old Persian : *Spiθradātaʰ ; Ancient Greek : Σπιθριδάτης Spithridátēs ; fl. 365–334 BC) was a Persian satrap of Lydia and Ionia under the high king Darius III Codomannus . He was one of the Persian commanders at the Battle of the Granicus , in 334 BC. In this engagement, while he was aiming a blow from behind at Alexander the Great , his arm was cut off by Cleitus the Black and he subsequently died.[ 1]
Spithridates attacking Alexander from behind at the Battle of Granicus . Charles le Brun (detail).
Diodorus calls him Spithrobates (Σπιθροβάτης Spithrobátēs ), and appears to confound him with Mithridates , the son-in-law of Darius, whom Alexander slew in the battle with his own hand; while what Arrian records of Spithridates, Diodorus accounts it for his brother Rhosaces .[ 2] [ 3]
Spithridates was replaced by the Hellenistic satrap Asander in his territories.
References
^ Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri , 1.12.8, 15.8, 16.3
^ Diodorus, Bibliotheca historica , XVII. 19 , 20
^ Plutarch , Parallel Lives , "Alexander", 16 ; Moralia , "On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander", I. 2
Sources
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Smith, William , ed. (1870). "Spithridates". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology .