.

Asander (in Greek Aσανδρoς; lived 4th century BC) was son of Philotas and brother of Parmenion. Alexander the Great (336–323 BC) appointed him in 334 BC governor of Lydia and the other parts of the satrapy of Spithridates, and also placed under his command an army strong enough to maintain the Macedonian authority.¹ In the beginning of the year 328 BC Asander and Nearchus led a number of Greek mercenaries to Alexander, who was then staying at Zariaspa.² In the division of the empire after the death of Alexander, in 323 BC, Asander obtained Caria for his satrapy, in which he was afterwards confirmed by Antipater.³ At the command of Antipater he fought against Attalus and Alcetas, both partizans of Perdiccas⁴, but was conquered by them. In 317 BC, while Antigonus was engaged in Persia and Media, Asander increased his power in Asia Minor, and was undoubtedly a member of the confederacy which was formed by Ptolemy, ruler of Egypt, and Cassander, ruler of Macedonia, against Antigonus. In 315 BC, when Antigonus began his operations against the confederates, he sent one Ptolemy, a nephew of his, with, an army to relieve Amisus, and to expel from Cappadocia the army with which Asander had invaded that country; but as Asander was supported by Ptolemy and Cassander⁴, he maintained himself until 313 BC, when Antigonus himself marched against him, and compelled him to conclude a treaty by which he was bound to surrender his whole army, to restore the Greek towns on the coast to freedom, to regard his satrapy of Caria as the gift of Antigonus, and to give his brother Agathon as hostage. But after a few days Asander broke this humiliating treaty: he contrived to get his brother out of the hands of Antigonus, and sent ambassadors to Ptolemy and Seleucus for assistance. Antigonus indignant at these acts, immediately sent out an army to restore the Greek towns to freedom by force of arms. Caria too appears to have been conquered, and Asander from this time disappears from history.⁵

References

Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Asander (1)", Boston, (1867)

Notes

1 Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri, i. 18
2 ibid., iv. 7
3 Photius, Bibliotheca, cod. 82, cod. 92; Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca, xviii. 3, 39; Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus, xiii. 4; Curtius Rufus, Historiae Alexandri Magni, x. 10
4 Diodorus, xix. 62, 68
5 Ibid., xix. 75