Stasanor
Stasanor (in
Greek Στασανωρ; lived
4th century BC) was a native of
Soli in
Cyprus who held a distinguished position among the officers of
Alexander the Great. He probably entered the service of that monarch after the conquest of
Cyprus in
333 BC, but the first occasion on which his name is mentioned is during the campaign in
Bactria, when he was detached by Alexander with a strong force to reduce Arsames, the revolted
satrap of
Aria. This service, in conjunction with
Phrataphernes, he successfully accomplished, and rejoined Alexander at
Zariaspa in the autumn of
328 BC, bringing with him Arsames himself as a captive, as well as Barzanes, who had been appointed by
Bessus satrap of
Parthia. As a reward for this exploit he obtained the satrapy of Aria, which was, however, soon after changed for that of
Drangiana, in the command of which he remained during the whole of Alexander's campaign in
India. On the king's return, Stasanor was one of those who met him in
Carmania with a very opportune supply of camels and other beasts of burthen, but returned to resume the charge of his province when Alexander continued his march towards
Persis. In the first partition of the provinces after the death of Alexander (
323 BC), Stasanor retained his former satrapy of Drangiana, but in the subsequent division at
Triparadisus (
321 BC), he exchanged it for the more important government of Bactria and
Sogdiana. Here he appears to have remained in quiet for some years, taking no open part, so far as we are informed in the contest between
Eumenes and
Antigonus, though apparently inclined in favour of the former: but he secured the attachment of the native population by the justice and moderation of his rule, and thus established his power so firmly that Antigonus found it prudent to pardon his favourable disposition towards his rival, and left him in the undisturbed possession of his satrapy,
316 BC. From this time his name does not appear again in history.
He was a contemporary and compatriot of
Clearchos of Soloi (born in the same city of Soli, in Cyprus), a
peripatetician philosopher who was seemingly involved in the foundation of the Bactrian city of
Alexandria on the Oxus.
*
Smith, William (editor);
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology,
"Stasanor",
Boston, (1867)
Strabo,
Geography,
xiv. 6 Arrian,
Anabasis Alexandri,
iii. 29,
iv. 7 Ibid.,
iv. 18,
vi. 27, 29;
Curtius Rufus,
Historiae Alexandri Magni,
viii. 3 Diodorus Siculus,
Bibliotheca, xviii. 3, 39;
Photius,
Bibliotheca,
cod. 82,
cod. 92;
Justin,
Epitome of Pompeius Trogus,
xiii. 4 Diodorus, xix. 48
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