Orontes III
Orontid Dynasty — c. 344–336 BC
Orontid Dynasty
Orontes II was the son and successor of Orontes I, serving as a powerful Satrap within the Achaemenid Persian Empire from approximately 336 to 331 BC.
Orontes II was the son and successor of Orontes I, serving as a powerful Satrap within the Achaemenid Persian Empire from approximately 336 to 331 BC. He governed the northern highland territories of the ancient Near East during the final years of the Persian dynasty. His family, the Orontids, maintained a prestigious lineage that claimed descent from the Persian royalty through marriage.
Reign & Legacy
During the massive invasion of Alexander the Great, he remained a loyal commander to King Darius III. He is most famously known for leading the cavalry from his satrapy at the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. Although the Persian forces were defeated, his leadership in the battle established his family as the legitimate rulers of the region during the subsequent Hellenistic era.
Family & Legacy
Wife: Rhodogune (daughter of Artaxerxes II of Persia). Child: Orontes III. Notes: Mentioned by Xenophon; he famously betrayed fellow rebels during the "Great Satraps' Revolt" to keep his position.
Military Record
Campaigns: 3 documented: 1. Battle of Cunaxa (401 BC); 2. Great Satraps' Revolt (362 BC); 3. Reconciliation campaign (355 BC).. Record: 1 Won, 1 Lost, 1 Draw. Armenia's territory: c. 250,000–300,000 km2km^2km2. Allied rulers: Artaxerxes II (Persia).
“The legacy of Orontes III endures through the centuries — a testament to the enduring spirit of the Armenian people and their unbroken pursuit of sovereignty, culture, and faith.”
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