Taxiles

(Ταξίλης).

1. An Indian prince or king, who reigned over the tract between the Indus and the Hydaspes, at the period of the expedition of Alexander, B. C. 327. His real name was Mophis, or Omphis, and the Greeks appear to have called him Taxiles or Taxilas, from the name of his ca pital city of Taxila, near the modern Attock. (Diod. 17.86; Curt. 8.12. §§ 4, 14.) He appears to have been on terms of hostility with his neighbour Porus, who held the territories east of the Hydaspes, and it was probably with a view of strengthening himself against this foe, that lie sent an embassy to Alexander, while the latter was yet in Sogdiana, with offers of assistance and support. On the approach of the conqueror lie hastened to meet him with valuable presents, and placed him self and all his forces at his disposal. Nor were these vain professions: he assisted Hephaestion and Perdiccas in constructing a bridge over the Indus, supplied their troops with provisions, and received Alexander himself, and his whole army, in his capital city of Taxila, with every demonstration of friendship and the most liberal hospitality. (Arr. Anab. 4.22, 5.3, 8; Curt. 8.12 ; Diod. 17.86; Plut. Alex. 59, 65 ; Strab. xv. p.698.) On the subsequent advance of the Macedonian king, Taxiles accompanied him with a force of 5000 men, and bore a part in the contest at the passage of the Hydaspes. After that victory he was sent by Alexander in pursuit of Porus, to whom he was charged to offer favourable terms, but narrowly escaped losing his life at the hands of his old enemy. Subsequently, however, the two rivals were reconciled by the personal mediation of Alexander; and Taxiles, after having contributed zealously to the equipment of the fleet on the Hydaspes, was intrusted by the king with the government of the whole territory between that river and the Indus. (Arr. Anab. 5.8, 18, 20; Curt. 8.14.35, 9.3.22). A considerable accession of power was granted him after the death of Philip, son of Machatas; and he was allowed to retain his authority at the death of Alexander himself, as well as in the subsequent partition of the provinces at Triparadeisus, B. C. 321. (Arr. apud Phot. p. 72a.; Dexippus. ibid. p. 64b.; Diod. 18.3, 39; Just. 13.4.) But at a subsequent period we find Eudemus, the commander of the Macedonian troops in his province, possessing the sole authority: whether Taxiles had been displaced by force or removed by a natural death, we are not informed.

2. A general ill the service of Mithridates the Great, and one of those in whom lie reposed the highest confidence. He is first mentioned in B. C. 86, when he was sent by Mithridates, with an army of not less than 110,000 men, to Europe, to make his way, through Thrace and Macedonia, to the assistance of Archelaus in Greece. This task he successfully accomplished, reduced Amphipolis, which had at first defied his arms, and having thus struck terror into the Macedonians, advanced without further opposition, through that country and Thessaly, into Phocis. Here he at first laid siege to Elatea, but was foiled in his attacks, and relinquished the enterprize, in order to form a junction with Archelaus in Boeotia. This object he effected: but though the two generals now found themselves at the head of a formidable host, their combined forces were defeated by Sulla near Chaeronea, with great slaughter. (Plut. Sull. 15, 16, 19 ; Memnon, 3; Paus. 1.20.6, 9.40.7, 10.34.2.) From this time we hear no more of Taxiles till B. C. 74, when he commanded (together with Hermocrates) the great army with which Mithridates invaded Paphlagonia and Bithynia, in the autumn of that year. During the subsequent operations at the siege of Cyzicus, he is mentioned as giving the king the most judicious advice. (Appian. Mithr. 70, 72.) After the defeat of the king and his retreat into his own territories, we again find Taxiles sharing with Diophantus the actual command of the army which Mithridates opposed to Lucullus near Cabeira, B. C. 72, where their skilful arrangements for a time held the balance of success doubtful, and reduced the Roman general to considerable straits for provisions. At length, however, the campaign was terminated by a total rout, in which the royal camp fell into the hands of the enemy. (Memnon. 4; comp. App. Mith. 79-82; Plut. Lucull. 15, 17.) Taxiles accompanied his royal master on his flight into Armenia, and we subsequently (B. C. 69) find him mentioned as present with Tigranes at the great battle of Tigranocerta, on which occasion he in vain endeavoured to restrain the overweening confidence of the Armenian monarch. (Plut. Lucull. 27.) This is the last time that his name occurs in history.

3. A general who commanded the auxiliary troops from the Lesser Armenia, that joined the army of Pompey before the battle of Pharsalia, B. C. 48. (Appian. B. C. 2.71.) [E.H.B]

(Ταξίλης). (1) An Indian prince or king, who reigned over the tract between the Indus and the Hydaspes at the period of the expedition of Alexander, B.C. 327. His real name was Mophis or Omphis, and the Greeks appear to have called him Taxiles or Taxilas, from the name of his capital city of Taxila.

(2) A general in the service of Mithridates the Great (Plut. Sulla, 15).