12 Facts About Hecatomnus

Hecatomnus of Mylasa or Hekatomnos was an early 4th-century BC ruler of Caria.

Hecatomnus was the satrap of Caria for the Persian Achaemenid king Artaxerxes II.

Hecatomnus was the son and successor of Hyssaldomus, a dynastic ruler of Mylasa.

At some time after 395 BC Hecatomnus became the first satrap of Caria, which was until then part of other satrapies, usually that of Lydia.

Hecatomnus was the first non-Persian official to be elevated to the position of satrap.

Hecatomnus acceded as satrap perhaps in 394 BC, but no later than 390 BC, when he was appointed by the Persian king to command the naval forces destined to take part in the war against Evagoras I of Cyprus.

Hecatomnus left three sons, Mausolus, Idrieus and Pixodarus, and two daughters, Artemisia and Ada, who were married to their brothers, Mausolus and Idrieus, all five of whom in turn succeeded him as rulers.

Two ancient sources, Diodorus and Isocrates, report that Hecatomnus secretly supplied Evagoras with sums of money to raise mercenary troops and was in fact ready to rise against the Persian King.

Indeed, Hecatomnus had not shown at any other time insubordination or disaffection towards the Persian monarchy.

Unlike other rebellious satraps Hecatomnus was not a Persian of noble or royal blood and could not hope to win the allegiance of other Persian officials.

Evagoras might have wanted to create the impression that Hecatomnus was his secret ally in order to impress the Egyptian king Hakor with whom he was negotiating for support against Artaxerxes.

Hecatomnus was a native of Mylasa, and made that city his capital and the seat of his government.