Mithridates

Mithridates /ˌmɪθˈrɪdətiːz/ or Mithradates (Old Persian Mithradata) is the Hellenistic form of a Parthian theophoric name, meaning "given by the deity Mithra". It may refer to:

Rulers

Mithridates (soldier)

Mithridates (died 401 BC) was a young Persian soldier in the army of king Artaxerxes II who according to a version in Plutarch's Life of Artaxerxes II, accidentally killed the rebel claimant to the throne Cyrus the Younger in the Battle of Cunaxa (Greek: Κούναξα).

Account of events

Shortly after, Cyrus's death was reported to the king, Artaxerxes. Mithridates was given rich presents by the king, as defeating Cyrus secured Artaxerxes' position as king. However, it was Artaxerxes' wish that all men think it was he and he alone who had slain Cyrus, thus Mithridates was given the rewards for conveying the horse trappings of Cyrus to the king. A while later when invited to a banquet, Mithridates then boasted that he was the one that killed Cyrus, not realizing that he was inducing his own undoing.

Execution

Mithridates was ordered to be executed in a notoriously torturous way known as scaphism, His punishment was recounted as follows:

References

Mithridates (Persian general)

Mithridates or Mithradates (Greek: Mιθριδάτης or Mιθραδάτης; killed 334 BC) was a Persian of high rank, and son-in-law of the king Darius III, who was slain by Alexander the Great with his own hand, at the Battle of the Granicus in 334 BC, when he plunged his lance through Mithridates' face.

References

Notes

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.