Mausolus ( or , Mauśoλ) was a ruler of Caria (377–353 BCE) and a satrap of the Achaemenid Empire. He enjoyed the status of king or dynast by virtue of the powerful position created by his father Hecatomnus ( ), who was the first satrap of Caria from the hereditary Hecatomnid dynasty. Alongside Caria, Mausolus also ruled Lycia and parts of Ionia and the Dodecanese islands. He is best known for his monumental tomb and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the construction of which has traditionally been ascribed to his wife and sister Artemisia.
Name
Mausolus' name is only known directly in Greek ( or ). It is clearly of Carian origin, though, and would have been written as *𐊪𐊠𐊲𐊸𐊫𐊦 (*Mauśoλ) or similar. This is a compound name perhaps meaning "much blessed". The first part, *Ma-, may mean "much", similar to the same word in Hieroglyphic Luwian. The second part, *-uśoλ, meaning "blessed", is very common in Carian onomastics. Other examples include just Uśoλ (𐊲𐊸𐊫𐊦 = , "blessed"), Šaruśoλ (𐤭𐊠𐊥𐊲𐊸𐊫𐊦 = Σαρυσ(σ)ωλλος, "highly blessed"), and Pnuśoλ/Punwśoλ (𐊷𐊵𐊲𐊸𐊫𐊦/𐊷𐊲𐊵𐊿𐊸𐊫𐊦 = Πονυσσωλλος, "blessed by all").
Early life
Mausolus was the eldest son of Hecatomnus, a native Carian who became the satrap of Caria shortly after Tissaphernes died, BCE. Mausolus succeeded his father upon Hecatomnus' death in 377 BCE. The two may have shared the rule of Caria in the early 370s BCE, though, shortly before the death of Hecatomnus. Their close relationship is illustrated in the family scenes from the sarcophagus of the tomb of Hecatomnus and Aba. They were also depicted alongside one another in a statue group from Caunos. Whether Mausolus held any real or ceremonial office before the period of his reign proper, however, is speculative.
Reign
Mausolus became satrap when his father Hecatomnus died in 377/6 BCE. He ruled alongside his wife, who was also his sister, Artemisia (known as Artemisia II to avoid confusion with the earlier Artemisia I Lygdamis). Because the two had no children, and incest of this type was not otherwise known in Caria, it is thought that their unusual marriage was entirely symbolic. Although only Mausolus was ever referred to as satrap, it is clear that Artemisia had some political authority as joint dynast while the two were still alive.
Revolt of the Satraps
Mausolus participated in the Revolt of the Satraps, a long and complex affair in which many satraps in the west of the Achaemenid Empire rebelled against Artaxerxes II Memnon, mostly during the 360s BCE. The Revolt of the Satraps, also called the Great Revolt, was not a coordinated affair, but consisted of multiple separate rebellions throughout Anatolia. Mausolus primarily participated on the side of Artaxerxes, although Greek sources say that he also briefly rebelled against him.
Diodorus Siculus includes Mausolus in his list of satraps who rebelled against Artaxerxes II. Also in this list were Tachos of Egypt, Ariobarzanes of Hellespontine Phrygia, Orontes of Mysia, Autophradates of Lydia, and miscellaneous populations of Anatolia and Phoenicia. With the majority of Anatolia, the Levant, and Egypt in revolt, Diodorus said that half of Artaxerxes' revenues were cut off from him. Another participant was King Agesilaus II of Sparta, who was a guest-friend of Mausolus.
The most evidence for Mausolus' participation in the Great Satraps' Revolt, however, is on the side of his nominal sovereign. Mausolus, together with Autophradates the satrap of Lydia, led the siege of Adramyttium in 366 BCE at the request of Artaxerxes. Ariobarzanes had taken refuge there after Autophradates had driven him out of Assos. According to Xenophon, Mausolus was allegedly persuaded to abandon the siege by Agesilaus, whom Mausolus and Tachos of Egypt provided an escort to escape safely. This may be a sign that Mausolus only defied his overlord covertly, as there is no evidence that he actually made war against Artaxerxes.
Diodorus also tells us that Mausolus and Autophradates, who secretly did not pursue Ariobarzanes, assisted Orontes of Mysia in his later rebellion in 362 BCE. Unlike Tachos or Agesilaus, however, Mausolus and Artemisia are mostly absent from narratives of Orontes' revolt, and there is no evidence that they took any concrete action against Artaxerxes II.
Mausolus was not punished for his alleged participation in the Revolt of the Satraps, unlike more flagrant rebels such as Datames or Ariobarzanes. He remained in office after the revolt was squashed in 362/1 BCE and was even rewarded by being given Lycia to govern over.