| Artaxerxes' Cadusian Campaign | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Media Atropatene, location of the Cadusian campaign | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Achaemenid Empire | Cadusii | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Artaxerxes II of Persia Tiribazus Datames | Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 300,000 infantry 10,000 cavalry | Unknown | ||||||
TheCadusian Campaign was a military campaign of KingArtaxerxes II of Persia in 385 BC against theCadusii. The origins of the campaign are not attested in historical sources, but it was probably in response to a revolt of the Cadusii and the refusal of paying tribute.[1]
The Cadusii people lived in a mountainous district ofMedia Atropatene on the south-west shores of theCaspian Sea, between the parallels of 39° and 37° North latitude, called for its inhabitantsCadusia. This district was probably bounded on the North by the river Cyrus (todayKura, inAzerbaijan, historically known asArran andCaucasian Albania), and on the South by the river Mardus (todaySefid River), and corresponds with the modernIranian provinces ofGilan andArdabil. They are described byStrabo[2] as a warlike tribe of mountaineers, fighting chiefly on foot, and well skilled in the use of the short spear orjavelin.
Artaxerxes organized an expedition that, according toPlutarch, consisted of 300,000 infantry soldiers and 10,000 cavalry soldiers.[3] He commanded the expedition in person and among the officers accompanying him wereTiribazus andDatames. Advancing inside enemy territory, it didn't take long before the army started to suffer from starvation.[4] The mountainous terrain offered little food but somepears,apples, and other tree-fruits insufficient to feed such a host of fighting men.[3] The army was reduced to eating their own beasts of burden first and later their own cavalry mounts.[3]
Tiribazus found a solution to resolve the campaign and save the King's army. He knew that the Cadusii were divided between two rival chiefs so he sent his son to negotiate with one while he negotiated with the other.[4] Both Tiribazus and his son convinced the Cadusii chiefs that the other had sent envoys to the Persian King and sought an advantageous peace.[4] Neither of the two chiefs wanting to be outmaneuvered by their rival, they submitted to Artaxerxes.[4] With the successful negotiations concluded the army retreated, ending the campaign.