Atropates
Sign in to saveAtropates (; and Middle Persian ; ; – after 321 BC) was a Persian nobleman who served Darius III, then Alexander the Great, and eventually founded an independent kingdom and dynasty that was named after him. Diodorus (18.4) refers to him as (), while Quintus Curtius (8.3.17) erroneously names him 'Arsaces'.
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- date of birth
- 0370-00-00
- date of death
- 0321-00-00
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Atropates (; and Middle Persian ; ; – after 321 BC) was a Persian nobleman who served Darius III, then Alexander the Great, and eventually founded an independent kingdom and dynasty that was named after him. Diodorus (18.4) refers to him as (), while Quintus Curtius (8.3.17) erroneously names him 'Arsaces'.
== Biography == Towards the end of the Achaemenid Empire, Atropates was governor (satrap) of the Achaemenid province of Media. He was close to the royal family, and was possibly of Achaemenid descent himself. In the decisive Battle of Gaugamela (October 331 BCE) between Darius and Alexander, Atropates commanded the Achaemenid troops of Media and Sacasene.