Mazaeus

Mazaeus ( ancient Greek: Μαζαῖος; † 328 BC) was the Persian governor ( satrap ) in the late period of the Achaemenid Empire.

Mazaeus initially served the Great King Artaxerxes III. as satrap of Cilicia as the official successor of the Datames. Together with the satrap of Syria, Belesys II, he was responsible for 351/350 BC with the subjugation of the rebellious Phoenicians under the king Tabnit ( Tennessee ) of Sidon. Both, however, suffered defeat against the Greek mercenaries under Mentor of Rhodes, which were cited in support of Phoenicia from Egypt. Therefore, the Great King had personally draw against Sidon, that only 346/345 could be subjected to BC. While Belesys II fell out of favor due to the failure, Mazaeus remained in the favor of the Great King. Although he had passed on Arsames Cilicia, was but at least for the period 345-340 BC as the new satrap of Syria.

In this role he will only BC called again in the year 331 during the war against Alexander the Great. Diodorus called him a philos ( friend) of the Great King Darius Alexander to block III. , From whom he had received the transfer, the crossing of the Euphrates. However Mazaeus did not have enough troops to be able to accomplish this, which is why he had to accept the transfer of Alexander at Thapsacus. He then participated in the Battle of Gaugamela in part as commander of the right wing Persian, which ended with the decisive defeat of the Persians. Mazaeus retired to Babylon, whose gates he had a fight open for the advancing Alexander. This took him for in his entourage, and appointed him as satrap of Babylon. This office Mazaeus practiced until his death 328 BC.

Apart from the literary sources Mazaeus is archaeologically detectable by coinage.

His successor in Babylonia was Stamenes.

Swell

• Diodorus Siculus - Βιβλιοθήκη Ἱστορική
• Plutarch - Alexander Biography
• Arrian - Anabasis Alexandrou
• Curtius Rufus - History of Alexander the Great