Nicanor (satrap)

Nicanor († 310 BC) was a Macedonian officer at the time of the Diadochi in the late 4th century BC.

Life

At the conference of Triparadeisos, on the 320 BC the empire of Alexander the Great was divided, Nicanor received the satrapy of Cappadocia. In the following years, he supported the Diadochi Antigonus Monophthalmos who controlled the neighboring satrapies. He took 318-316 BC, Antigonus ' campaign against Eumenes part and accompanied him probably to Babylon. From Antigonus he was doing to the strategos of the " eastern satrapies ", ie the military commander of all the provinces east of the Euphrates, was appointed. His headquarters was the Median Ecbatana. From Appian Nicanor for the year 311 BC, also known as " satrap of Media ", while it could, however, be an error of the author, as Antigonus had originally appointed the native Medes Orontobates there as governor.

When Seleucus, who had been expelled by Antigonus of Babylon, 311 BC returned there, Nicanor went against him, together with Evagoras. The two armies met on the Tigris. It came to battle. As Evagoras fell, his troops beat on Seleucus ' page. Nicanor was now trying to escape, which initially succeeded him. However, he was persecuted by Seleucus up by media and defeated. He probably died in battle, the companies controlled by territories were taken over by his opponent Seleucus.

Family of origin

Waldemar Heckel identifies the strategos Nicanor with a letter cited in the Suda Nicanor, son of Balakros, where he continued the father's name with the bodyguards of Alexander the Great, Balakros († 324 BC), identified. Nicanor would therefore be a son of the bodyguard Balakros from a previous marriage have been, because its known wife Phila should be when his mother was probably too young. In addition, Nicanor would have had a brother named Philip, who was an officer of Alexander the Great.

This compares to an erected by AB Bosworth thesis which recognizes Nicanor, son of Balakros, a prominent follower of Cassander, the Admiral Nikanor. The was about his mother Phila also a nephew of Cassander been. This hypothesis is, however, drawn by Heckel in doubt, as the Admiral Nicanor was executed in the year 317 BC during the second Diadochenkrieges of Cassander. Heckel keeping it as unlikely that Cassander had executed his own nephew, who would also have been a step-son of Demetrius Poliorketes at this time, what with his father Antigonus Monophthalmos was again the most important ally of Cassander in the second Diadochenkrieg. Moreover, from a marriage ( her first of three) only the sons of Antipater, Thraseas and Balakros known of the Phila with Balakros.

Nicanor, son of Balakros, and its possible relationship:

Swell

• Diodorus 18, 39, 6; 19, 100, 3; 19, 92
• Appian, Syriake 55, 278
• Suda N 376