Mazaces, also Mazakes (Old Iranian: Mazdāka, Aramaic: 𐡌𐡆𐡃𐡊 MZDK), was the last Achaemenid satrap of ancient Egypt during the late reign of Darius III of the 31st Dynasty of Egypt.
Mazaces | |
---|---|
Satrap of Egypt Satrap of Mesopotamia | |
Predecessor | Sabaces |
Successor | Cleomenes of Naucratis |
Dynasty | 31st Dynasty |
Pharaoh | Darius III |
Mazaces succeeded Sabaces after the latter's death at the battle of Issus (333 BCE).[2] His office lasted less than a year: when Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in late 332 BCE, Mazaces did not have enough military force to put up a resistance. Counselled by Amminapes, who knew Alexander well, Mazaces handed the country to the Macedonian without a fight, along with a treasure of 800 talents of gold. This event marked the end of the short–lived second Egyptian satrapy (343–332 BCE).[3][4]
It is unknown what happened to Mazaces after this event, but Alexander assigned the role of satrap of Egypt to the Greek Cleomenes of Naucratis before leaving for the East.[5]
Mazakes may have been nominated as satrap of Mesopotamia in reward for his submission, as coins in his name and in a style similar to his Egyptian predecessor Sabakes, are found in this region, and the satrap of Mesopotamia at that time is otherwise unknown.[6][7][8][9]
The next satrap of Mesopotamia was Bleitor.[10]
References
edit- ^ Spek, R. J. Van der; Zanden, Jan Luiten van; Leeuwen, Bas van (2014). A History of Market Performance: From Ancient Babylonia to the Modern World. Routledge. p. 376. ISBN 9781317918509.
- ^ Bresciani, Edda, "EGYPT i. Persians in Egypt in the Achaemenid period," Encyclopædia Iranica, VIII/3, pp. 247-249, available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/egypt-i (accessed on 27 May 2018).
- ^ Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri 3.1
- ^ Heinen, Heinz, "EGYPT iii. Relations in the Seleucid and Parthian periods," Encyclopaedia Iranica, VIII/3, pp. 250-252, available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/egypt-iii (accessed on 27 May 2018).
- ^ Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri 3.5
- ^ CNG: PERSIA, Alexandrine Empire. Mazakes. Satrap of Mesopotamia, circa 331-323/2 BC. AR Tetradrachm (23mm, 17.21 g, 5h). Imitating Athens.
- ^ Mitchiner, Michael (1975). Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian Coinage. Hawkins Publications. p. 7. ISBN 9780904173062.
- ^ Rider, Georges Le (2007). Alexander the Great: Coinage, Finances, and Policy. American Philosophical Society. p. 217. ISBN 9780871692610.
- ^ Praktika tou XII Diethnous Synedriou Klasikēs Archaiologias: Athēna, 4-10 Septembriou 1983 (in French). Hypourgeio Politismou kai Epistēmōn. 1985. p. 246.
- ^ CNG: PERSIA, Alexandrine Empire. temp. Mazakes – Bleitor. Satraps of Mesopotamia, circa 331-316 BC. AR Tetradrachm (21mm, 16.44 g, 6h). Imitating Athens.
- ^ Stewart, John (2006). African States and Rulers (Third ed.). London: McFarland. p. 83. ISBN 0-7864-2562-8.