Oxathres

• brother of the Persian king Darius Codomannus, Curt. 3, 11, 8.

(Ὀξάθρης), a Persian name, which is also written Oxoathres and OXYATHRES, and is frequently confounded or interchanged both by Greek and Latin writers with OXARTES and OXYARTES. Indeed, it is probable that these are all merely different forms of the same name. (See Ellendt, ad Arrian. Anab. 3.8.8; Mützell, ad Curt. 8.4.21.)

1. A younger brother of Artaxerxes II. Mnemon king of Persia. He was treated with kindness by his brother, and even admitted to the privilege of sharing the king's table, contrary to the usual etiquette of the Persian court. (Plut. Art. 1, 5.) Ctesias (Pers. 49, ed. Baehr) calls him Oxendras.

2. Brother of Dareius III. Codomannus. He was distinguished for his bravery, and in the battle of Issus, B. C. 333, took a prominent part in the combat in defence of the king, when attacked by the Macedonian cavalry under Alexander himself. (Diod. 17.34; Curt. 3.11.8.) He afterwards accompanied Dareius on his flight into Bactria, and fell into the hands of Alexander during the pursuit, but was treated with the utmost distinction by the conqueror, who even assigned him an honourable post about his own person; and subsequently devolved upon him the task of punishing Bessus for the murder of Dareius. (Diod. 17.77; Curt. 6.2. §§ 9, 11, 7.5.40 ; Plut. Alex. 43.) He was the father of Amastris queen of Heracleia. (Memnon, 100.4. ed. Orell. ; Arr. Anab. 7.4.7; Strab. xii. p.544; Steph. Byz. s. v. αμαστρλς.)

3. Son of Abulites, the satrap of Susiana under Dareius Codomannus, commanded the contingent furnished by his father to Dareius at the battle of Arbela, B. C. 331. On the approach of Alexander to Susa, Oxathres was sent to meet him and bear the submission of Abulites : he was favourably received, and soon after appointed to the government of Paraetacene, which he held until the return of Alexander from India, when he was put to death by the king for maladministration of his province. According to Plutarch, Alexander slew him with his own hand. (Arr. Anab. 3.8, 16, 19, 7.4; Curt. 5.2.8; Diod. 17.65; Plut. Alex. 68.)

4. A son of Dionysius tyrant of Heracleia and of Amastris, the daughter of No. 2. He succeeded, together with his brother Cledrchus, to the sovereignty of Heracleia on the death of Dionysius, B. C. 306 : but the government was administered by Amastris during the minority of her two sons. Soon after the young men had attained to manhood and taken the direction of affairs into their own hands, they caused their mother to be put to death : but this act of parricide brought upon them the vengeance of Lysimachus, who made himself master of Heracleia, and put both Clearchus and Oxathres to death. According to Diodorus, they had reigned seventeen years; but Droysen assigns their death to the year B. C. 285. (Memnon, 100.4-6; Diod. 20.77; Droysen, Hellenism. vol. i. pp. 609, 634.)

5. A son of Mithridates the Great, who was taken prisoner in the insurrection of the citizens of Phanagoria, B. C. 64. He was afterwards given up to Pompey, by whom he was led captive in his triumph at Rome. (Appian, App. Mith. 108, 117.)