Pharnabazus II (Greek: Φαρναβάζης, c. 440 BC – c. 370 BC) was a Persian nobleman and satrap of the Hellespontine Phrygia (the region of north‑western Anatolia bordering the Hellespont) during the late fifth and early fourth centuries BC. He was a member of the Pharnacid dynasty, a branch of the Achaemenid aristocracy, and the son of Pharnaces II, who had previously held the same satrapy.
Career and Historical Context
- Appointment as Satrap: Pharnabazus succeeded his father as satrap sometime after the Persian defeat at the Battle of Salamis (480 BC). The exact date of his accession is not recorded, but he is documented as the satrap during the later stages of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC).
- Peloponnesian War: According to Thucydides, Pharnabazus supported the Spartan alliance against Athens. In 408 BC he dispatched a fleet to the Hellespont to disrupt Athenian grain shipments, and he coordinated with the Spartan commander Lysander. The Persian navy under his command played a role in the eventual Athenian defeat at the Battle of Aegospotami (405 BC).
- Later Activities: Xenophon records that Pharnabazus later entered into an alliance with the Spartan king Agesilaus II during the early phases of the Corinthian War (395–387 BC). He provided financial assistance and facilitated Persian support for Greek city‑states opposed to the Athenian resurgence.
- Relations with Persia: As a satrap, Pharnabazus reported to the Persian king—first Artaxerxes II (r. 404–358 BC). His actions in the Greek world reflected the Achaemenid policy of using Greek rivalries to maintain Persian influence over the Ionian coast.
Family and Succession
Pharnabazus married a daughter of the Persian nobleman Artabazus, strengthening ties within the Persian aristocracy. He was succeeded as satrap by his son, also named Pharnabazus (sometimes referred to as Pharnabazus III), though the precise chronology of the transition is not definitively recorded.
Legacy
Pharnabazus II is primarily known from classical Greek historiography, especially the works of Thucydides, Xenophon, and later authors such as Diodorus Siculus. His role illustrates the involvement of Persian provincial governors in Greek interstate politics during the late Classical period.
Historical Sources
- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War (books 8–9).
- Xenophon, Hellenica (books 1–2).
- Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica (book 13).
No reliable evidence suggests that Pharnabazus II held any major position beyond the satrapy of Hellespontine Phrygia, nor are there records of his activities after the early fourth century BC.