| Hecatomnus | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Hekatomnos, from his coinage, circa 392/1-377/6 BC. | |
| Satrap ofCaria | |
| Reign | ca. 395–377 BC |
| Predecessor | Tissaphernes |
| Successor | Mausolus |
| Born | 5th century BCE. |
| Died | 377 BCE. Halicarnassus,Caria,Persian Empire (modern-dayBodrum,Muğla,Turkey) |
| Spouse | Aba, daughter of Hyssaldomus of Mylasa |
| Issue Detail | Mausolus Artemisia II Idrieus Ada Pixodarus |
| House | Hecatomnids |
| Father | Hyssaldomus of Mylasa |
Hecatomnus ofMylasa orHekatomnos (Greek:Ἑκατόμνως,Carian: 𐊴𐊭𐊪𐊵𐊫k̂tmno “under-son, descendant(?)”[1]) was an early 4th-century BC ruler ofCaria. He was thesatrap (governor) of Caria for thePersian Achaemenid kingArtaxerxes II (404–358 BC). However, the basis for Hecatomnus' political power was twofold: he was both a high appointed Persian official and a powerful local dynast, who founded the hereditary dynasty of theHecatomnids. The Hecatomnids followed the earlier autochthonous dynasty of theLygdamids (520-450 BC) in Caria.
Hecatomnus was the son and successor of Hyssaldomus, a dynastic ruler of Mylasa. It is likely that Hecatomnus had been a supporter ofTissaphernes and might have been employed by him in the subordinate office of hyparch.[2]
At some time after 395 BC[3] Hecatomnus became the first satrap of Caria, which was until then part of other satrapies, usually that of Lydia. The designation of Caria as a separate satrapy was part of a reorganization of Persian power in western Anatolia byArtaxerxes II in the aftermath ofCyrus's revolt. Hecatomnus was the first non-Persian official to be elevated to the position of satrap.
He acceded as satrap perhaps in 394 BC,[4] but no later than 390 BC,[5] when he was appointed by thePersian king to command the naval forces destined to take part in the war againstEvagoras I ofCyprus[6].
Isocrates[7] states that he was still ruling in 380 BC. Stephen Ruzicka places his death in 377/376 BC[8]
He left three sons,Mausolus,Idrieus andPixodarus, and two daughters,Artemisia andAda, who were married to their brothers, Mausolus and Idrieus[9], all five of whom in turn succeeded him as rulers.
Two ancient sources, Diodorus[10] and Isocrates, report that Hecatomnus secretly suppliedEvagoras with sums of money to raise mercenary troops and was in fact ready to rise against the Persian King. However, Ruzicka strongly doubts the veracity of these reports.[11] Indeed, Hecatomnus had not shown at any other time insubordination or disaffection towards the Persian monarchy. Unlike other rebellious satraps (Cyrus the Younger or Pissuthnes, for example) Hecatomnus was not a Persian of noble or royal blood and could not hope to win the allegiance of other Persian officials. Thus, it seems highly unlikely that he would have engaged in treasonous activity without any tangible hope to benefit from it.
Ruzicka offers two possible explanations for the reports by Diodorus and Isocrates, which must have been based on some contemporary rumours. In both cases he names Evagoras as the likely source of the rumours.
(i) Evagoras might have wanted to compromise Hecatomnus in the eyes of his master, Artaxerxes. Later, he managed to engineer the recall and disgrace of another satrap (Orontes) who was campaigning against him.[12]
(ii) Evagoras might have wanted to create the impression that Hecatomnus was his secret ally in order to impress the Egyptian kingHakor with whom he was negotiating for support against Artaxerxes. From Egypt the rumour could have filtered to Athens through the Athenian generalChabrias who was then serving with Hakor as a military adviser.[13]
Hecatomnus was a native ofMylasa, and made that city his capital and the seat of his government. Hence the figure ofZeus Labrandenos appears on his coins walking and carrying alabrys over his shoulder, from the celebrated temple of that name near Mylasa.[14]
In 2010 police arrested looters digging for antiquities in what later was believed to be the tomb of Hecatomnus.[15] A marble sarcophagus and numerous frescoes were discovered in the tomb, although many relics had already been taken from the tomb and sold on the black market.[15] The Mausoleum is in theUNESCO World Heritage Sites tentative list.[16] It is considered very important for understanding of Carian art and craftsmanship as it was built by their best architects and sculptors and was a predecessor of the magnificentMausoleum at Halicarnassus.
Recently a golden crown stolen from the tomb has been identified and agreed to be returned to Turkey.[17]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Hecatomnus".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
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