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REINHOLD BICHLER

University of Innsbruck

Perian commander and later satrap. He led a campaign in Thracian Chalcidice in 480 BCE and escaped the Persian defeat at PLATAEA in 479. Herodotus highlights Artabazus’ esteem among the Persians (8.126.1; 9.41.1), but his portrayal is ambiguous. Artabazus led the PARTHIANS and CHORASMIANS in XERXES’ land army (7.66). After the Battle of SALAMIS, he escorted the king back to the HELLESPONT with 60,000 men (8.126), then turned to the PALLENE peninsula, in order to maintain Persian control there. He besieged POTEIDAEA and conquered OLYNTHUS, which was in the possession of the BOTTIAEANS. They were massacred and the city was handed over to CRITOBULUS OF TORONE. Artabazus’ attempt at taking Poteidaea by TREACHERY (see TIMOXEINUS) failed. Moreover, most of his soldiers perished in a flood, allegedly because they had profaned a sanctuary of POSEIDON (8.126–29). In spring 479, Artabazus acts as wise adviser in MARDONIUS’ camp, but the latter neglects his proposal to bribe Greek leaders and avoid a battle (9.41–42.1, 58). While Mardonius’ army was crushed at Plataea, Artabazus was able to escape with 40,000 soldiers (9.66, 77), though he lost many of these in THRACE during his retreat to ASIA (9.89).

Other sources testify to Artabazus’ subsequent career. He was appointed satrap of Hellespontine PHRYGIA and led negotiations with the Spartan PAUSANIAS (Thuc. 1.129; Diod. Sic. 11.44.4). Under ARTAXERXES I, he fought in EGYPT and CYPRUS and conducted negotiations with ATHENS (Diod. Sic. 11.74–75; 12.3). Artabazus’ descendants held the satrapy for generations.

SEE ALSO: Advisers; Artabazus father of Tritantaechmes; Bribery; Chalcidians in Thrace; Dascyleium; Pharnaces; Satrapies