Great Satraps' Revolt

The Great Satraps' Revolt, or the Revolt of the Satraps, was a rebellion in the Achaemenid Empire of several satraps against the authority of the Great King Artaxerxes II Mnemon.

Datames, the satrap of Cappadocia and a talented military commander, had inherited his satrapy from his father Camissares after 384 BC and he was a respected military commander but later problems with the court led him to revolt in 372 BC. The court commanded the neighboring satraps, Autophradates of Lydia and Artumpara of Lycia, to crush the rebellion but Datames successfully resisted their attacks.

Ariobarzanes, satrap of Phrygia and a son of the ruler of Pontus, had been made acting satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia until Artabazos, the legitimate heir of the satrapy could take office. But when Artabazos was ready to take the satrapy Ariobarzanes refused to surrender it and joined Datames' revolt in 366 BC. Ariobarzanes sought foreign aid and he received it from King Agesilaus II of Sparta. Ariobarzanes withstood a siege from Mausolus of Caria and Autophradates of Lydia until Agesilaus negotiated the besiegers' retreat. Ariobarzanes was killed in 363, betrayed by his son Mithradates.

In 362 Orontes, satrap of Armenia, revolted after he was ordered by the King to move to Mysia. His noble birth led the other satraps to recognize him as leader of the revolt, but Orontes later sought a compromise with the King and betrayed the other satraps, and the rebellion collapsed shortly afterward. Orontes received much of the Aegean coast while Datames was killed after his son in law Mitrobarzanes betrayed him. Ariobarzanes was also killed, but the other satraps were pardoned, thus ending the rebellion.