About Arsames
Lived 400 BC – 333 BC. Arsames was a governor.
Arsames (Old Persian Aršāma, ) was an Achaemenid Persian satrap of Cilicia in 334/3 BC. He succeeded Mazaeus in this position. He took part in the Battle of Granicus where he fought with his cavalry on the left wing, along with Arsites and Memnon of Rhodes. He was able to survive that battle and flee to the capital of Cilicia Tarsus. There he was planning a scorched-earth policy according to that of Memnon which caused the native Cilician soldiers to abandon their posts. He also decided to burn Tarsus to the ground so as not to fall in the hands of Alexander but was prevented from doing so by the speedy arrival of Parmenion with the light armored units who took the city. After that, Arsames fled to Darius who was at this time in Syria. He was slain at the battle of Issus (modern-day Turkey) in 333 BC.
He was succeeded by Balacrus, a bodyguard of Alexander the Great, who became the Hellenistic satrap of Cilica.
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Important facts
People in Arsames's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Arsames's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Arsames?
Achaemenid Persian satrap of Cilicia in 334/3 BC
When was Arsames born?
Arsames was born in 400 BC.
When did Arsames die?
Arsames died in 333 BC.
What was Arsames's occupation?
Arsames was a governor.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Arsames (satrap of Cilicia)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Arsames. https://biography.guide/arsames-governor/
MLA: "Arsames." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/arsames-governor/.
Chicago: "Arsames." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/arsames-governor/.
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