Satrap - Wikipedia Satrap From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Ruler of a province in ancient Persia The Herakleia head, probable portrait of an Achaemenid Empire Satrap of Asia Minor, end of 6th century BCE, probably under Darius I.[1] Satraps (/ˈsætrəp/) were the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic empires.[2] The satrap served as viceroy to the king, though with considerable autonomy. The word came to suggest tyranny or ostentatious splendour.[3][4] Contents 1 Etymology 2 Medo-Persian satraps 3 Hellenistic satraps 4 Parthian and Sassanian satraps 5 Indian satraps 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links Etymology[edit] The word satrap is derived via Latin satrapes from Greek satrápēs (σατράπης), itself borrowed from an Old Iranian *xšaθra-pā/ă-.[5] In Old Persian, which was the native language of the Achaemenids, it is recorded as xšaçapāvan (𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎱𐎠𐎺𐎠, literally "protector of the province"). The Median form is reconstructed as *xšaθrapāwan-.[6] It is cognate with Sanskrit kṣatrapal (क्षेत्रपाल). The Biblical Hebrew form is ǎḥašdarpån אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפָּן‎, as found in Esther 3:12[7]. In the Parthian (language of the Arsacid Empire) and Middle Persian (the language of the Sassanian Empire), it is recorded in the forms šahrab and šasab, respectively.[8] In modern Persian the descendant of xšaθrapāvan is shahrbān (شهربان‎), but the components have undergone semantic shift so the word now means "town keeper" (shahr [شهر‎] meaning "town" + bān [بان‎] meaning "keeper"). A "satrapy" is the territory governed by a satrap.[9] Medo-Persian satraps[edit] A dignitary of Asia Minor in Achaemenid style, circa 475 BC. Karaburun tomb near Elmalı, Lycia.[10] Although the first large-scale use of satrapies, or provinces, originates from the inception of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great, beginning at around 530 BCE, provincial organization actually originated during the Median era from at least 648 BCE. Up to the time of the conquest of Media by Cyrus the Great, emperors ruled the lands they conquered through client kings and governors. The main difference was that in Persian culture the concept of kingship was indivisible from divinity: divine authority validated the divine right of kings. The twenty-six satraps established by Cyrus were never kings, but viceroys ruling in the king's name, although in political reality many took advantage of any opportunity to carve themselves an independent power base. Darius the Great gave the satrapies a definitive organization, increased their number to thirty-six, and fixed their annual tribute (Behistun inscription). Coin of Themistocles, a former Athenian general, as Achaemenid Empire Satrap of Magnesia, circa 465-459 BC The satrap was in charge of the land that he owned as an administrator, and found himself surrounded by an all-but-royal court; he collected the taxes, controlled the local officials and the subject tribes and cities, and was the supreme judge of the province before whose "chair" (Nehemiah 3:7) every civil and criminal case could be brought. He was responsible for the safety of the roads (cf. Xenophon), and had to put down brigands and rebels. He was assisted by a council of Persians, to which also provincials were admitted and which was controlled by a royal secretary and emissaries of the king, especially the "eye of the king", who made an annual inspection and exercised permanent control. Coinage of Tiribazos, Satrap of Achaemenid Lydia, 388-380 BC There were further checks on the power of each satrap: besides his secretarial scribe, his chief financial official (Old Persian ganzabara) and the general in charge of the regular army of his province and of the fortresses were independent of him and periodically reported directly to the shah, in person. The satrap was allowed to have troops in his own service. The great satrapies (provinces) were often divided into smaller districts, the governors of which were also called satraps and (by Greco-Roman authors) also called hyparchs (actually Hyparkhos in Greek, 'vice-regents'). The distribution of the great satrapies was changed repeatedly, and often two of them were given to the same man. Achaemenid Satrap Autophradates receiving visitors, on the Tomb of Payava, circa 380 BC. As the provinces were the result of consecutive conquests (the homeland had a special status, exempt from provincial tribute), both primary and sub-satrapies were often defined by former states and/or ethno-religious identity. One of the keys to the Achaemenid success (as with most enduring great empires) was their open attitude to the culture and religion of the conquered people, so the Persian culture was the one most affected as the Great King endeavoured to meld elements from all his subjects into a new imperial style, especially at his capital, Persepolis. Banquet scene of a Satrap, on the "Sarcophagus of the Satrap", Sidon, 4th century BC. Whenever central authority in the empire weakened, the satrap often enjoyed practical independence, especially as it became customary to appoint him also as general-in-chief of the army district, contrary to the original rule. "When his office became hereditary, the threat to the central authority could not be ignored" (Olmstead). Rebellions of satraps became frequent from the middle of the 5th century BCE. Darius I struggled with widespread rebellions in the satrapies, and under Artaxerxes II occasionally the greater parts of Asia Minor and Syria were in open rebellion (Revolt of the Satraps). The last great rebellions were put down by Artaxerxes III. Hellenistic satraps[edit] Further information: Partition of Babylon and Partition of Triparadisus The satraps appointed by Alexander the Great during his campaign Bagadates I (Minted 290–280 BC), the first indigenous satrap to be appointed by the Seleucid Empire.[11][12] The satrapic administration and title were retained—even for Greco-Macedonian incumbents—by Alexander the Great, who conquered the Achaemenid Empire, and by his successors, the Diadochi (and their dynasties) who carved it up, especially in the Seleucid Empire, where the satrap generally was designated as strategos (i.e., military generals); but their provinces were much smaller than under the Persians. They would ultimately be replaced by conquering empires, especially the Parthians. Parthian and Sassanian satraps[edit] In the Parthian Empire, the king's power rested on the support of noble families who ruled large estates, and supplied soldiers and tribute to the king. City-states within the empire enjoyed a degree of self-government, and paid tribute to the king. Administration of the Sassanid Empire was considerably more centralized than that of the Parthian Empire; the semi-independent kingdoms and self-governing city states of the Parthian Empire were replaced with a system of "royal cities" which served as the seats of centrally appointed governors called shahrabs as well as the location of military garrisons. Shahrabs ruled both the city and the surrounding rural districts. Exceptionally, the Byzantine Empire also adopted the title "satrap" for the semi-autonomous princes that governed one of its Armenian provinces, the Satrapiae. Indian satraps[edit] Main article: Western satraps Coin of "Western Satrap" Nahapana, circa 120 CE. The Western Satraps or Kshatrapas (35–405 CE) of the Indian subcontinent were Saka rulers in the western and central part of the Sindh region of Pakistan, and the Saurashtra and Malwa regions of western India. They were contemporaneous with the Kushans who ruled the northern part of the subcontinent from the area of Peshawar and were possibly their overlords, and with the Satavahana (Andhra) who ruled in central India to their south and east and the Kushan state to their immediate west. See also[edit] Suzerainty Orontid Dynasty References[edit] ^ CAHN, HERBERT A.; GERIN, DOMINIQUE (1988). "Themistocles at Magnesia". The Numismatic Chronicle (1966-). 148: 13–20. JSTOR 42668124. ^ "Satrap – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2012-01-26. ^ Satrap, at Oxford English Dictionary; retrieved 21 February 2019 ^ Trollope, Anthony (12 May 2011). The Eustace Diamonds. OUP Oxford. p. 626. ISBN 978-0-19-162041-6. Retrieved 28 November 2020. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2017-05-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) ^ Bukharin, Mikhail. "[Towards the Discussion on the Language of the Scythians: The Transition of OIr *xš- > *s- and its Reflection in the Ancient Greek] К дискуссии о языке скифов: переход др.ир. *xš- > *s- и его отражение в древнегреческом". Проблемы Истории, Филологии, Культуры. 2013. 2. В честь 60-летия В.Д. Кузнецова. С. 263–285. ^ Esther 3:12, The Bible (Jewish Publication Society, 1917) ^ "šasab" in David Neil MacKenzie, A Concise Pahlavi Dictionary (1971). ^ "satrapy - Wiktionary". en.wiktionary.org. Retrieved 2020-08-14. ^ André-Salvini, Béatrice (2005). Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia. University of California Press. p. 46. ISBN 9780520247314. ^ Otto Mørkholm, Early Hellenistic Coinage: From the Accession of Alexander to the Peace of Apamea (Cambridge University Press) 1991:73f. ^ John Curtis, Nigel Tallis and Béatrice André-Salvini, Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia 2005:258-9, fig. 454, Silver tetradrachm of Bagadates. Ashley, James R. (2004) [First published 1998]. "Appendix H: Kings and Satraps". The Macedonian Empire: The Era of Warfare Under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359–323 B.C. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. pp. 385–391. ISBN 978-0-7864-1918-0. Further reading[edit] A. T. Olmstead, History of the Persian Empire, 1948. Pauly-Wissowa (comprehensive encyclopaedia on Antiquity; in German). Robert Dick Wilson. The Book of Daniel: A Discussion of the Historical Questions, 1917. Available on home.earthlink.net. Rüdiger Schmitt, "Der Titel 'Satrap'", in Studies Palmer ed. Meid (1976), 373–390.  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Satrap". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.. Cormac McCarthy, All the Pretty Horses, 1992. External links[edit] Look up satrap in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Livius.org: Satraps and satrapies v t e Provinces of the Achaemenid Empire (Behistun / Persepolis / Naqsh-e Rustam / Susa / Daiva inscriptions) Akaufaka (Quhistan?) Amyrgoi Arabia Arachosia Aria Armenia Assyria Babylonia Bactria Cappadocia Caria Carmania Caucasian Albania Chorasmia Cilicia Colchis Dahae Drangiana 1st Egypt / 2nd Egypt Eber-Nari (Levant) Elam Kush (Nubia) Gandāra (Gandhara) Gedrosia Hyrcania Ionia Hindush Libya Lydia Maka Margiana Media Lesser Media Massagetae Parthia Persia Phoenicia Phrygia Hellespontine Phrygia Greater Phrygia Saka Samaritan Province Sattagydia Skudra (Thrace) Sogdia Yehud See also Tax Districts of the Achaemenid Empire (according to Herodotus) v t e Designations for types of administrative division English terms Common English terms1 Area Insular area Local government area Special area Borough County borough Metropolitan borough Canton Half-canton Capital Federal capital Imperial capital City Autonomous city Charter city Independent city Incorporated city Imperial city Free imperial city Royal free city Community Autonomous community Residential community County Administrative county Autonomous county Consolidated city-county Metropolitan county Non-metropolitan county Viscounty Country Overseas country Department Overseas department District Capital district City district Congressional district Electoral district Federal district Indian government district Land district Metropolitan district Non-metropolitan district Military district Municipal district Police district Regional district Rural district Sanitary district Service district Educational service district Local service district School district Intermediate school district Special district in the US Urban district Division Census division Police division Subdivision of India Municipality City municipality County municipality Regional county municipality Direct-controlled municipality District municipality Neutral municipality Regional municipality Resort municipality Mountain resort municipality Rural municipality Specialized municipality Prefecture Autonomous prefecture Subprefecture Super-prefecture Praetorian prefecture Province Autonomous province Overseas province Roman province Region Administrative region Special administrative region Autonomous region Capital region National capital region Development region Mesoregion Microregion Overseas region Subregion Reserve Biosphere reserve Ecological reserve Game reserve Indian reserve Nature reserve State City-state Federal state Free state Sovereign state Territory Capital territory Federal capital territory National capital territory Dependent territory Federal territory Incorporated territory Organized incorporated territory Overseas territory Union territory Unorganized territory Town Census town Market town Township Charter township Civil township Paper township Survey township Urban township Unit Regional unit Territorial unit Autonomous territorial unit Zone Economic zone Exclusive economic zone Free economic zone Special economic zone Exclusion zone Military exclusion zone Free speech zone Neutral zone Self-administered zone Trade zone Free-trade zone Other English terms Current Alpine resort Bailiwick Banner Autonomous Block Cadastre Circle Circuit Colony Commune Condominium Constituency Duchy Eldership Emirate Federal dependency Governorate Hamlet Ilkhanate Indian reservation Manor Royal Muftiate Neighbourhood Parish Periphery Precinct Principality Protectorate Quarter Regency Autonomous republic Riding Sector Autonomous Shire Sultanate Suzerainty Townland Village Summer Ward Historical Agency Barony Burgh Exarchate Hide Hundred Imperial Circle March Monthon Presidency Residency Roman diocese Seat Tenth Tithing 1 Used by ten or more countries or having derived terms. Historical derivations in italics. Non-English or loanwords Current Amt Bakhsh Barangay Bezirk Regierungsbezirk Comune Frazione Fu Gemeinde Austria Germany South Tyrol Switzerland Gemeente Gmina Județ Kampong Kommun / kunta Finland Sweden Län (Sweden) Landskap (Finland) Località Maakunta Megye Muban Mukim Oblast Autonomous Okrug Ostān Poblacion Purok Shahrestān Sum Sýsla Tehsil Vingtaine Historical Commote Gau Heerlijkheid Köping Län / lääni Landskap (Sweden) Landskommun Maalaiskunta Nome Egypt Greece Pagus Pargana Plasă Satrapy Socken Subah Syssel Zhou See also: Census division, Electoral district, and List of administrative divisions by country v t e Rulers in the Achaemenid Empire Family tree - Achaemenid Kingdom Kings of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire Achaemenes Ariaramnes Arsames Teispes Cyrus I Cambyses I Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II) Cambyses II Smerdis Gaumata Darius the Great (Darius I) Xerxes the Great (Xerxes I) Artaxerxes I Xerxes II Sogdianus Darius II Artaxerxes II Mnemon Artaxerxes III Ochus Artaxerxes IV Arses Darius III Codomannus Artaxerxes V Bessus Satraps of Lydia Tabalus Mazares Harpagus Oroetus Bagaeus Otanes Artaphernes I Artaphernes II Pissuthnes Tissaphernes Cyrus the Younger Tissaphernes Tithraustes Tiribazus Struthas Autophradates Spithridates Satraps of Hellespontine Phrygia Mitrobates Megabazus Megabates Oebares II Artabazus I Pharnabazus I Pharnaces II Pharnabazus II Ariobarzanes Artabazus II Pharnabazus III Arsites Satraps of Cappadocia Datames Ariamnes I Mithrobuzanes Ariarathes I Greek Governors of Asia Minor cities Miltiades Demaratus Gongylos Eurysthenes Prokles Histiaeus Aristagoras Themistocles Archeptolis Aridolis Amyntas II Philiscus Dynasts of Lycia Kheziga Kybernis Kuprilli Harpagus Teththiweibi Kheriga Kherei Arbinas Artembares Artumpara Mithrapata Perikle Dynasts of Caria Lygdamis I Artemisia Pisindelis Lygdamis II Adusius (satrap) Hecatomnus Mausolus Artemisia II Idrieus Ada Pixodarus Orontobates Ada Kings of Macedonia Amyntas I of Macedon Alexander I of Macedon Kings of Tyre Mattan IV Boulomenus Abdemon Evagoras Eugoras Azemilcus Kings of Sidon Eshmunazar I Tabnit Queen Amoashtart Eshmunazar II Bodashtart Yatonmilk Anysos Tetramnestos Baalshillem I Baana Baalshillem II Abdashtart I Tennes Evagoras II Abdashtart II Abdashtart III Satraps of Armenia Artasyrus Orontes I Darius III Orontes II Satraps of Egypt Aryandes Pherendates Achaemenes Arsames Pherendates II Sabaces Mazaces Satraps of Bactria Hystaspes Dadarsi Masistes Bessus Satraps of Media Hydarnes Hydarnes II Atropates Satraps of Cilicia Syennesis Camisares Mazaeus Arsames Other known satraps Megabyzus, Abrocomas, Belesys (Syria) Ochus (Hyrcania) Satibarzanes (Aria) Atizyes (Greater Phrygia) Phrataphernes (Parthia) Ariobarzanes (Persis) Abulites (Susiana) Mazaeus (Babylon) In most territories, Achaemenid rulers were succeeded by Hellenistic satraps and Hellenistic rulers from around 330 BC v t e Hellenistic satraps Satraps under Alexander the Great (334-323 BC) Ada (Queen of Caria) Asander, Menander (Lydia) Calas, Demarchus (Hellespontine Phrygia) Antigonus (Greater Phrygia) Balakros, Menes (Cilicia) Abistamenes (Cappadocia) Abdalonymus (Sidon) Mithrenes (Armenia) Mazaeus, Stamenes (Babylon) Mazakes (Mesopotamia) Abulites (Susiana) Oxydates, Atropates (Media) Phrasaortes, Oxines, Peucestas (Persis) Cleomenes of Naucratis (Egypt) Satibarzanes (Aria) Sibyrtius (Carmania) Autophradates (Tapuri, Mardi) Andragoras (Parthia) Amminapes, Phrataphernes, Pharismanes (Hyrcania and Parthia) Artabazos, Cleitus the Black, Amyntas (Bactria) Oxyartes (Paropamisia) Philip, Eudemus (India) Peithon, son of Agenor (Gandhara) Taxiles (Punjab) Porus (Indus) Satraps at the Partition of Babylon (323 BC) Antipater (Macedon and Greece) Philo (Illyria) Lysimachus (Thrace) Leonnatus (Hellespontine Phrygia) Antigonus (Phrygia) Asander (Caria) Nearchus (Lycia and Pamphylia) Menander (Lydia) Philotas (Cilicia) Eumenes (Cappadocia and Paphlagonia) Ptolemy (Egypt) Laomedon of Mytilene (Syria) Neoptolemus (Armenia) Peucestas (Persis) Arcesilaus (Mesopotamia) Peithon (Greater Media) Atropates (Lesser Media) Scynus (Susiana) Tlepolemus (Persia) Nicanor (Parthia) Phrataphernes (Armenia, Parthia) Antigenes (Susiana) Archon (Pelasgia) Philip (Hyrcania) Stasanor (Aria and Drangiana) Sibyrtius (Arachosia and Gedrosia) Amyntas (Bactria) Scythaeus (Sogdiana) Oxyartes (Paropamisia) Taxiles (Punjab) Peithon, son of Agenor (Gandhara) Porus (Indus) Satraps at the Partition of Triparadisus (321 BC) Antipater (Macedon and Greece) Lysimachus (Thrace) Arrhidaeus (Hellespontine Phrygia) Antigonus (Phrygia, Lycia and Pamphylia) Cassander (Caria) Cleitus the White (Lydia) Philoxenus (Cilicia) Nicanor (Cappadocia and Paphlagonia) Ptolemy (Egypt) Laomedon of Mytilene (Syria) Peucestas (Persis) Amphimachus (Mesopotamia) Peithon (Media) Tlepolemus (Carmania) Philip (Parthia) Antigenes (Susiana) Seleucus (Babylonia) Stasanor (Bactria and Sogdiana) Stasander (Aria and Drangiana) Sibyrtius (Arachosia and Gedrosia) Oxyartes (Paropamisia) Taxiles (Punjab) Peithon, son of Agenor (Gandhara) Porus (Indus) Later Satraps Peithon, son of Agenor (Babylon) Sibyrtius (Arachosia, Drangiana) Eudemus (Indus) Bagadates, Ardakhshir I, Wahbarz, Vadfradad I, Vadfradad II, Alexander c.220 BC (Persis) Andragoras (Parthia) Demodamas (Bactria, Sogdiana) Diodotus (Bactria) Alexander (Lydia) Molon c.220 BC, Timarchus, c.175 BC (Media) Apollodorus (Susiana) Ptolemaeus (Commagene) Noumenios, Hyspaosines c.150 BC (Characene) Hellenistic satraps were preceded by Achaemenid rulers, and followed or ruled by Hellenistic rulers Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Satrap&oldid=997135717" Categories: Satraps Positions of subnational authority Achaemenid Empire Types of country subdivisions Gubernatorial titles Iranian inventions Hidden categories: CS1 maint: archived copy as title Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata Articles containing explicitly 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