Officer of Alexander Stasanor probably entered the service of
Alexander the Great after the
siege of Tyre in 332 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 revolting
satrap of
Aria. This service, in conjunction with
Phrataphernes, he successfully accomplished, and rejoined Alexander at
Zariaspa in the autumn of 328, bringing Arsames with him as a captive, as well as Barzanes, who had been appointed by
Bessus as the satrap of
Parthia.
Satrap As a reward for this exploit Stasanor obtained the satrapy of Aria, which, 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 burden, 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 in 323 BC, Stasanor retained Drangiana, but in the subsequent division at
Triparadisus in 321, he exchanged it for the more important government of Bactria and
Sogdiana. Here Stasanor appears to have remained quiet for some years, taking no open part, so far as is known, in the contest between
Eumenes and
Antigonus. After the victory of Antigonus, although Stasanor had apparently inclined in favour of Eumenes, Antigonus found it prudent to pardon him and in 316 BC, left him in the undisturbed possession of his satrapy since Stasanor had secured the attachment of the native population by the justice and moderation of his rule, and thus firmly established his power in the satrapy.
Fate From this time Stasanor's name does not appear again in history.
Justin, however, explains that around 305
Seleucus attacked and conquered Bactria, probably in a conflict with Stasanor or possibly his successor: :Seleucos made many wars in the Orient after the division of the Macedonian kingdom between allies. At the beginning, he took Babylon; from there, his strengths increased by victory, he took over the Bactrians. He then went to India, which, after the death of Alexander, had assassinated his prefects, as if shaking the burden of servitude. Justin XV.4 ==See also==