Difference between revisions 16961333 and 18333384 on enwiki

'''Otanes''' ([[Persian language|Old Persian]] Utâna): [[Persia]]n nobleman, one of the seven conspirators who killed the [[Magian]] usurper [[Gaumâta]] and helped [[Darius I]] the Great become king ([[29 September]] [[522 BC]]). Several years later, he added the [[Greece|Greek]] island [[Samos]] to the [[Achaemenid]] empire.

In March 522, a Magian named Gaumâta seized power in the [[Achaemenid]] empire, claiming to be the brother of the legitimate king [[Cambyses]], [[Smerdis]]. Gaumâta could do this, because Smerdis had been killed secretly. Immediately, Cambyses advanced to the usurper, but he died before he reached Persia; the false Smerdis was able to rule for several months.

(contracted; show full)

That the king trusted Otanes, is also suggested by the fact that he ordered his father-in-law, who was probably serving as [[satrap]] of [[Lydia]], to conquer the 
[[Greek]] island Samos (c.[[517 BC]]). This island had been without strong leader since an earlier Lydian satrap, Oroetus, had executed [[Polycrates]] of Samos. Its new, pro-Persian ruler, was to be a man named [[Syloson]]. Herodotus tells us:

As for Samos, the [[Persians]] took the entire population like fish in a drag-net, and presented Syloson with an empty island. Some years later, however, Otanes contracted some sort of disease of the genital organs and that, in conjunction with a dream he had, induced him to repopulate the place.
    Histories 3.149;
    tr. [[Aubrey de Selincourt]]

This is the last piece of information about Otanes. In [[513 BC]], a new satrap was appointed in Lydia, [[Artaphernes]]. Probably, Otanes had died.

Otanes had a son [[Patiramphes]], who served as the driver of the [[chariot]] of King [[Xerxes]] during his campaign to [[Greece]]. As we have already seen above, Otanes was probably also the father of Xerxes' first wife, queen [[Amestris]].

==Reference==
*''This entry incorporates public domain text originally by Jona Lendering ©.''

[[Category:Persian people]]

[[de:Otanes]]