Mithrenes

Mithrenes I
Satrap of Armenia
Reign	331 - 317 BC
Coronation	331 BC
Full name	Mithrenes
Died	317 BC
Predecessor	Orontes II
Successor	Orontes III
Offspring	Orontes III
Royal House	Armavir
Dynasty	Orontid Dynasty
Father	Orontes II

Mithrenes (Armenian: Միհրան, Greek: Mιθρένης or Mιθρίνης) was an Armenian commander of the Persian force which garrisoned the citadel of Sardis. After the battle of the Granicus Mithrines surrendered voluntarily to Alexander the Great, and was treated by him with great distinction. He fought for Alexander at Gaugamela, and ironically he was fighting against an army that included his father Orontes II. After the battle, Alexander appointed him Satrap of Armenia, as his father had been.

It's not clear, however, whether Mithrenes actually managed to take control of his satrapy. According to Curtius, in his speech given at Hecatompylos in 330 BC Alexander the Great listed Armenia among lands conquered by Macedonians, implying that Mithrenes succeeded in conquering it^[1]; on the other hand, Justin reproduced Pompeius Trogus' rendition of a speech attributed to Mithridates VI of Pontus, which mentioned that Alexander didn't conquer Armenia^[2].

In summary, Mithrenes ruled on behalf of the new Macedonian regime. However after the death of Alexander III, Neoptolemus was made Satrap of Armenia from 323 - 321 BC.^[3]

After the death of Neoptolemus, and the struggles going on with the Diadochi it seems Mithrenes not only returned to his ancestral seat but declared himself king.

References

• Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Mithrenes", Boston, (1867)

Notes

1. ^ Curtius, Historiae Alexandri Magni, vi. 3
2. ^ Justin, Epitoma Historiarum Philippicarum Pompei Trogi, xxxviii. 7
3. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoptolemus_%28general%29

---

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).

Persondata
Name
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death