Tissaphernes
historical figure · 7 works · 22 mentions · 66 anchored passages
Tissaphernes' brother · the man who wronged you
in the texts
Anabasis
Persian satrap and political rival whose accusation and reports against Cyrus shape the early conflict.
For, in fact, the Ionian cities had originally belonged to Tissaphernes, by gift of the King, but at that time all of them except Miletus had revolted and gone over to Cyrus.
Meanwhile he sent to the King and urged, on the ground that he was his brother, that these Ionian cities should be given to him instead of remaining under the rule of Tissaphernes, and his mother co-operated with him in this.
When Darius had died and Artaxerxes had become established as king, Tissaphernes falsely accused Cyrus to his brother of plotting against him.
History of the Peloponnesian War
Persian satrap of the coastal province under King Darius, who seeks Spartan alliance to recover tribute and suppress Amorges, and becomes the principal Persian sponsor of the Peloponnesian fleet in Ionia.
There went with them also an ambassador from Tissaphernes, who was governor of the sea-coast under king Darius, son of Artaxerxes.
And now the first alliance made between the king and the Lacedaemonians was concluded by Tissaphernes and Chalcideus, immediately after the revolt of the Milesians, to the following effect:
The following are the terms on which the Lacedaemonians and their confederates concluded an alliance with the king and Tissaphernes.
Hellenica
The Persian satrap who imprisons Alcibiades, is later accused of misconduct by Hermocrates and by Athenian ambassadors, and advises Cyrus to keep the Greek states weak through mutual conflict.
Cyrus, however, would not receive them, although Tissaphernes urged him to do so and advised him to see to it that no single Greek state should become strong, but that all be kept weak through constant quarrelling among themselves,—the policy he himself had followed on the advice of Alcibiades.
and when Alcibiades with a single trireme went to visit him, bearing friendly offerings and gifts, Tissaphernes seized him and imprisoned him in Sardis, saying that the King ordered him to make war upon the Athenians.
Now when the Athenians heard of this, they were despondent, and sent ambassadors to Cyrus through Tissaphernes.
Orations
Persian satrap who swore an oath to Clearchus and his men that was broken
Did not Tissaphernes swear to Clearchus and his men?
Concerning the Team of Horses
Persian satrap whom Alcibiades the elder persuaded to withhold funding from the Lacedaemonians.
Having thrown in his lot with you, he persuaded Tissaphernes not to furnish the Lacedaemonians with money, checked the defection of your allies, distributed pay from his own resources to the soldiers, restored political power to the people, reconciled the citizens, and turned back the Phoenician fleet.
Panegyricus
Persian satrap sent with cavalry to harass the retreating Greek mercenaries after the death of Cyrus.
But when he failed in this plot—for the soldiers not only stood together but bore their misfortune nobly,—then, as they set out on their journey home, he sent with them Tissaphernes and the Persian cavalry.
Agesilaus
Persian official whose oath-breaking and strategic failures highlight Agesilaus' trustworthiness and generalship.
But the Persian king, believing that Tissaphernes was responsible for the bad turn in his affairs, sent down Tithraustes and beheaded Tissaphernes.
The arrival of the new army emboldened Tissaphernes to send an ultimatum to Agesilaus, threatening was unless he withdrew from Asia;
Now Tissaphernes reflected that Agesilaus was without cavalry, while Caria was a difficult country for mounted men, and he thought that Agesilaus was wroth with him on account of his deceit.