Datames

Datames
Coin of Datames. The reverse shows Datames wearing aPersian dresswhilst inspecting an arrow, and the obverse showsBaal
SatrapofCappadocia
In office 380 BC – 362 BC
Preceded by	Ariaramnes
Succeeded by	Ariamnes
Personal details
Born	c. 407 BC
Died	c. 362 BC
Relations	Camisares(father) Scythissa (mother) Ariamnes(son) Sysinas (son)
Military service
Allegiance	Achaemenid Empire Satrapy of Cappadocia
Battles/wars	Cadusian Campaign Great Satraps' Revolt

Datames(Old Persian:DātamaorDātāma,Aramaic:Tadanmu,Ancient Greek:Δατάμης,romanized:Datámēs;407 BC – 362 BC), also known asTarkamuwa,was anIranianmilitary leader, who served as the governor (satrap) of theAchaemenidsatrapy ofCappadocia(orCilicia;the evidence is contradictory) from the 380s BC to 362 BC.ACarianby birth, he was the son ofCamissaresby aPaphlagonianmother. His father beingsatrapofCiliciaunderArtaxerxes II,and high in the favour of that monarch, Datames became one of the king's bodyguards; and having in this capacity distinguished himself in thewar against the Cadusii,was appointed to succeed his father (who had fallen in that war) in the government of his province. Here he distinguished himself both by his military abilities and his zeal in the service of the king; and reduced to subjection two officials who had revolted from Artaxerxes,Thyus,governor ofPaphlagonia,and Aspis ofCataonia.

Name

"Datames" is theHellenizedform of theOld Iranian*Dātama-or*Dātāma-,either fromDātamiθra( "Gift ofMithra") or*Data-ama( "to whom force is given" ).The name is attested inAramaicasTadanmu.

Background

Datames was born inc. 407 BC.He was a son ofCamisares,an Iranian satrap who governedCiliciaunder theAchaemenidkingArtaxerxes II(r. 404–358 BC).Camisares was most likely from aPersiannoble-family that settled in Caria, and was one of the nobles who sided with Artaxerxes II during the revolt ofCyrus the Younger.Datames' mother was aPaphlagonianprincess named Scythissa, who was married to Camisares sometime before 401 BC.

Revolt against Artaxerxes II

He was in consequence entrusted by the Persian king with the chief command of a force designed for the recovery ofEgypt,following the failure ofPharnabazus II;but the machinations of his enemies at the Persian court, and the risks to which he was in consequence exposed, induced him to change his plan, and throw off his allegiance to the king (c.370 BC). He withdrew with the troops under his command intoCappadocia,and made common cause with the other satraps who had revolted from Persia (the "Satraps' Revolt").

Datames was satrap ofAchaemenid Cappadocia.

Artabazos,the satrap ofHellespontine Phrygia,one of the generals that remained faithful to the king, advanced against him fromPisidia,but was entirely defeated. The great reputation that Datames had acquired induced Artaxerxes to direct his utmost exertions to effect his subjection, butAutophradates,who was sent against him with a large army, was obliged to retreat with heavy loss. Datames, however, though constantly victorious against open foes, ultimately fell a victim to treachery, and, after evading numerous plots that had been formed against his life, was assassinated at a conference byMithridates,the son ofAriobarzanes,who had gained his confidence by assuming the appearance of hostility to the king.

Evaluation

Datames appears to have obtained the highest reputation in his day for courage and ability in war, which caused his fame to extend even among theGreeks,though he did not come into personal collision with them.Cornelius Nepos(to whose biographical sketch we owe the only connected narrative of his life) calls him the bravest and most able of all non-Greek and non-Roman generals, exceptHamilcarandHannibal;but there is much confusion in the accounts transmitted to us, and it is difficult to assign the anecdotes of him recorded byPolyaenusto their proper place in his history. The chronology of the events related by Nepos is also very obscure; but according to that author andDiodorusit would appear that Datames must have died before Artaxerxes, probably 362 BC.

He was succeeded by his sonAriamnes I( Ancient Greek: Ἀριάμνης, Ariámnēs) who ruled 362 BC–330 BC as satrap ofCappadociaunder Persian suzerainty.

Sources

• Bing, J. Daniel (1998). "Datames and Mazaeus: The Iconography of Revolt and Restoration in Cilicia".Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte.47(1): 41–76.JSTOR4436493.(registration required)
• Briant, Pierre(2002).From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire.Eisenbrauns. pp. 1–1196.ISBN9781575061207.
• Schmitt, Rüdiger(1994)."Datames".InYarshater, Ehsan(ed.).Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume VII/2: Dastūr al-Afāżel–Dehqān I.London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 115–117.ISBN978-1-56859-020-2.
• Sekunda, Nicholas Victor(1988). "Some Notes on the Life of Datames".Iran.26.Taylor & Francis, Ltd.: 35–53.doi:10.2307/4299799.JSTOR4299799.(registration required)