Asander
Encyclopedia
Asander was the son of Philotas
and brother of Parmenion
. Alexander the Great (336
–323 BC
) appointed him in 334 BC
governor of Lydia
and the other parts of the satrap
y of Spithridates
, and also placed under his command an army strong enough to maintain the Macedon
ian authority. In the beginning of the year 328 BC
Asander and Nearchus
led a number of Greek mercenaries to Alexander, who was then staying at Zariaspa. In the division of the empire after the death of Alexander, in 323 BC
, Asander obtained Caria
for his satrapy, in which he was afterwards confirmed by Antipater
. At the command of Antipater he fought against Attalus and Alcetas
, both partizans of Perdiccas
, but was conquered by them. In 317 BC
, while Antigonus
was engaged in Persia and Media
, Asander increased his power in Asia Minor
, and was undoubtedly a member of the confederacy which was formed by Ptolemy
, ruler of Egypt
, and Cassander
, ruler of Macedonia, against Antigonus. In 315 BC
, when Antigonus began his operations against the confederates, he sent one Ptolemy
, a nephew of his, with, an army to relieve Amisus
, and to expel from Cappadocia
the army with which Asander had invaded that country; but as Asander was supported by Ptolemy and Cassander, he maintained himself until 313 BC
, when Antigonus himself marched against him, and compelled him to conclude a treaty by which he was bound to surrender his whole army, to restore the Greek towns on the coast to freedom, to regard his satrapy of Caria as the gift of Antigonus, and to give his brother Agathon as hostage. But after a few days Asander broke this humiliating treaty: he contrived to get his brother out of the hands of Antigonus, and sent ambassadors to Ptolemy and Seleucus
for assistance. Antigonus indignant at these acts, immediately sent out an army to restore the Greek towns to freedom by force of arms. Caria too appears to have been conquered, and Asander from this time disappears from history.
Philotas of Macedonia
For persons with the same name, see Philotas Philotas was a Macedonian soldier, father of Parmenion, the general of Alexander the Great...
and brother of Parmenion
Parmenion
Parmenion was a Macedonian general in the service of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great, murdered on a suspected false charge of treason....
. Alexander the Great (336
336 BC
Year 336 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Crassus and Duillius...
–323 BC
323 BC
Year 323 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Longus and Cerretanus...
) appointed him in 334 BC
334 BC
Year 334 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caudinus and Calvinus...
governor of Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
and the other parts of the satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
y of Spithridates
Spithridates
Spithridates was a satrap of Lydia and Ionia under the high king Darius III Codomannus and was one of the Persian commanders at the Battle of the Granicus, in 334 BC, in which engagement, while he was aiming a blow from behind at Alexander the Great, his arm was cut off by Cleitus, son of Dropides...
, and also placed under his command an army strong enough to maintain the Macedon
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
ian authority. In the beginning of the year 328 BC
328 BC
Year 328 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Proculus and Scapula or Decianus and Barbatus...
Asander and Nearchus
Nearchus
Nearchus was one of the officers, a navarch, in the army of Alexander the Great. His celebrated voyage from India to Susa after Alexander's expedition in India is preserved in Arrian's account, the Indica....
led a number of Greek mercenaries to Alexander, who was then staying at Zariaspa. In the division of the empire after the death of Alexander, in 323 BC
323 BC
Year 323 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Longus and Cerretanus...
, Asander obtained Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
for his satrapy, in which he was afterwards confirmed by Antipater
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
. At the command of Antipater he fought against Attalus and Alcetas
Alcetas
Alcetas , the brother of Perdiccas and son of Orontes from Orestis, is first mentioned as one of Alexander the Great's generals in his Indian expedition...
, both partizans of Perdiccas
Perdiccas
Perdiccas was one of Alexander the Great's generals. After Alexander's death in 323 BC he became regent of all Alexander's empire.Arrian tells us he was son of Orontes, a descendant of the independent princes of the Macedonian province of Orestis...
, but was conquered by them. In 317 BC
317 BC
Year 317 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Brutus and Barbula...
, while Antigonus
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Antigonus I Monophthalmus , son of Philip from Elimeia, was a Macedonian nobleman, general, and satrap under Alexander the Great. During his early life he served under Philip II, and he was a major figure in the Wars of the Diadochi after Alexander's death, declaring himself king in 306 BC and...
was engaged in Persia and Media
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
, Asander increased his power in Asia Minor
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, and was undoubtedly a member of the confederacy which was formed by Ptolemy
Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter I , also known as Ptolemy Lagides, c. 367 BC – c. 283 BC, was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, who became ruler of Egypt and founder of both the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Ptolemaic Dynasty...
, ruler of Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter invaded Egypt and declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to...
, and Cassander
Cassander
Cassander , King of Macedonia , was a son of Antipater, and founder of the Antipatrid dynasty...
, ruler of Macedonia, against Antigonus. In 315 BC
315 BC
Year 315 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Philo...
, when Antigonus began his operations against the confederates, he sent one Ptolemy
Ptolemy (general)
Ptolemy ; died 309 BC) was a nephew of Antigonus, and who served as a general to Alexander the Great who afterwards became king of Asia....
, a nephew of his, with, an army to relieve Amisus
Samsun
Samsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
, and to expel from Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
the army with which Asander had invaded that country; but as Asander was supported by Ptolemy and Cassander, he maintained himself until 313 BC
313 BC
Year 313 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Brutus...
, when Antigonus himself marched against him, and compelled him to conclude a treaty by which he was bound to surrender his whole army, to restore the Greek towns on the coast to freedom, to regard his satrapy of Caria as the gift of Antigonus, and to give his brother Agathon as hostage. But after a few days Asander broke this humiliating treaty: he contrived to get his brother out of the hands of Antigonus, and sent ambassadors to Ptolemy and Seleucus
Seleucus I Nicator
Seleucus I was a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi. In the Wars of the Diadochi that took place after Alexander's death, Seleucus established the Seleucid dynasty and the Seleucid Empire...
for assistance. Antigonus indignant at these acts, immediately sent out an army to restore the Greek towns to freedom by force of arms. Caria too appears to have been conquered, and Asander from this time disappears from history.