Satrap (Persian)

See also: Satrap

A satrap (of the Greek σατράπης satrápês , itself adapted of the Iranian xšaθrapā , of the Vieux Persian xšaθrapāvan , meaning “protective capacity”) is the governor of a satrapie, i.e. an administrative division of the Persian Empire.

Prerogatives

According to Hérodote (III, 89), Darius I {{er}} “establishes in the empire of Persians twenty governments ( nomoi ) that they call themselves satrapies”. This organization remains the base of the later territorial government. However, the principle of the satrapies is already known under Cyrus Large the and Cambyse II, as shows it the Inscription of Behistun. According to the biblical book of Daniel 6:1, Darius named to 120 satraps.

The satrap has as a main role to make reign the order in his province, and to increase the territory of the Empire. Indeed, according to the titulature achéménide, the Large King is “king of the universe” and “king of the four directions”. To require of people “the ground and water”, signs tender, thus amounts simply claiming its due. At the end of, the satrap Oroitès thus sees himself reproaching “for not having known to add the island of Samos to the fields of the king” (Hérodote, III, 126).

The territory entrusted to a satrap can be very important. Thus, when Hérodote mentions that Oroitès was appointed “governor of Sardinians ( Sardiôn hyparkhos )” (III, 120), it wants to say in fact the whole of the Lydie and the Ionie, Oroitès residing sometimes indeed at Sardes, sometimes with Magnésie of the Meander. In 535, called Gubāru receives a satrapie including/understanding Babylonia and Transeuphratène, i.e. an immense going territory of the Tigre to the the Nile.

To control their territory, the satraps have at their disposal a standing army, made up at the same time of soldiers raised in the satrapie and Persian troops brought by the aristocrats to who one had conceded a ground in the satrapie.

Certain satraps finish by émanciper, making of their satrapie a true kingdom. Mausole acts thus for the Carie.

Among the famous satraps, one can quote:

Terminology

The Greek and Babylonian texts resort little at the end old man-Persian of “satrap”. They usually prefer a vaguer translation to him, like “governor” - ὕπαρχος / hyparkhos for the Greeks or piḫātu for Persians. In the Inscription of Behistun, Darius I {{er}} refers to Vivāna, satrap in Arachosie and with Dadarši, satrap in Bactriane, under the term bandaka , which stress the personal relation between the sovereign and his dignitary, and not on the territory.

See too

Sources

  • Arrien, Anabase d' Alexandre ;
  • Ctésias, History of Persia ;
  • (I, 192; III, 89 and suiv.);
  • Pseudo-Aristote, Economic , (II, 1,4);
  • Xénophon, Anabase .

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