Artaxerxes III.

Artaxerxes III. ( Ochos ) (Persian اردشیر Ardashir [ ærdæʃi ː r], Old Persian: Ŗtachschaçā; * ca 390 BC, † 338 BC) was the tenth king of the ancient Persian dynasty of the Achaemenids, 200 years after the empire founded by Cyrus II the Great.

Regency

The first years

Artaxerxes III. obtained for the first time as a commander in the suppression of an uprising in the Persian territories west of the Euphrates 368-358 BC historical significance and was followed by 46 years of reign of his father Artaxerxes II to the throne. Previously, he slew his brethren. Artaxerxes III. can in Babylonian tablets the throne officially earliest December 359 BC and have climbed by April 358 BC, based on the information. From the sixth year of the reign of Artaxerxes III. 353 BC occupied for a lunar eclipse on November 22, which is why his first year of reign can not have started before December 359 BC. Jonah Lendering dated to the period between February and mid- March of the year 358 BC

At the beginning of his reign, he first went to war against the Kadusier on the Caspian Sea. Diodorus' chronology involves some problems, since its statements are often inaccurate and fluent in the 15th book. About the year 351 BC planned attempt to invade Egypt, there are no contemporary documents. Aristotle reported that Alexander is said to have tried to divert a river after he learned that " Crocodiles are in it ." However, it remains unclear whether these statements relate to the Nile or the Indus. Danielle Bonneau takes into account the possibility that this statement does not of Alexander, but by Artaxerxes III. derived with respect to its planning Egypt.

The often postulated reaction that followed shortly thereafter by Phoenician Satrapenaufstände, represents an assumption that is not supported by contemporary sources. The revolt of Tennes could also have been a consequence of the high tribute, he to Artaxerxes III. had to be paid.

Satrapenaufstände ( 346-345 BC)

Another contemporary source is a fragment of the Babylonian Chronicle is preserved. There will be reports on prisoners of Sidon:

" 14 Year of government Ochos: In the month Tašritu ( October 345 BC) the prisoners of Sidon were taken to Babylon and Susa. On the 16th day of this month some women entered Sidon from the king's palace. "

The kindling of Phoenicia, Syria, Sidon and Cyprus against the Persians certainly riots broke a few months earlier from, perhaps as early as the year 346 BC Mazaeus and Belesys II received during this period the order to take countermeasures as the Persian Great King was busy with the military preparations for future action against Egypt. Sidon played a particularly important strategic role. Datings, the fix that Satrapenrevolten perennial 351-346 BC are regarded as unlikely. Although an exact chronology of the events is not possible, but the reported by Diodorus for the year 351 BC connection between the recently made ​​Persian march against Egypt and the former Satrapenaufstände with the revolts 346-345 BC not durable; nor the assumed response time of the beginning Satrapenaufstände and the scheduling of Isocrates, who has already mentioned the riots in the year 347 BC.

Attack on Egypt ( 342/341 BC)

Diodorus dated the attack on Egypt, both in the 18th year of the reign of Artaxerxes III. as well as of Nectanebo II, starting from a in 362/361 BC carried takeover of Artaxerxes III. On this basis, it was for the campaign against Egypt a heading for the year 343 BC From the demotic papyrus Dream of Nectanebo shows that the summer of 343 BC, the 16th year of the reign of Nectanebo II equate is. After correcting the dating of Diodorus the attack on Egypt in December may have started earlier than 342 BC, especially since the flood of the Nile ended in September or October.

Diodorus was based on his information in the form of greatly shortening the 29bändige universal history of living in the fourth century BC Greek historian Ephorus of Kyme, of his anti -Persian attitude in his remarks has incorporated. An analysis showed that Diodorus continuously used the information provided by the Ephorus of Kyme for his stories repeatedly. To display the size information given by Diodorus in connection with the attack on Egypt regarding the armies of Artaxerxes III. and Nectanebo II striking parallels with the Diodorus figures from other battles.

In the army of Artaxerxes III. were integrated according to Diodorus information Greek mercenaries. Three regiments led the first attack, which Lakrates and Rhosakes should be first pushed forward with the cavalry units. Nikostratos and Aristazanes should have commanded 5,000 elite soldiers and 80 triremes, which went across the sea to the offensive. Mentor and Bagoas to have had the task to penetrate with their ships on the Nile in the delta. Mentor was a few years earlier in connection with the Sidonian uprising under Tennessee still associate of Nectanebo II, but ran after the suppression of the revolts to Artaxerxes III. about. The Egyptian army is, according to Diodorus have included a total strength of 100,000 men: 20,000 Greeks, 20,000 Libyans and 60,000 Egyptians.

End of the reign

The crushing of the revolts led, among other things, that the Greek policy towards Persia was extremely careful. So tried Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, to rest against Persia. Well the end of 338 BC, Artaxerxes III. and his sons poisoned by the eunuch Bagoas up on Arses and buried in the rock wall of Persepolis.