Mazaeus
2. A Persian officer who was sent by Dareius, at the head of a small force, to guard the passage of the Euphrates, at Thapsacus, and ravage the district through which
Alexander was likely to pass.
He prevented the troops sent forwards by
Alexander from completing the bridges which they had begun to throw across the river, but retired on the approach of
Alexander himself, and rejoined Darei us. His name occurs several times in the account of the manoeuvres which preceded the battle of Gaugamela, and in the battle itself he headed the Persian cavalry, with which he sorely pressed Parmenio, while a detachment by his orders assaulted the Macedonian camp.
After the flight of Dareius he retreated with the remnants of the army to Babylon, but made a voluntary surrender on the approach of
Alexander, who appointed him satrap of Babylon, B. C. 331. (Arrian, 3.7.2, 4.18.4, 7.18.1;
Curt. 4.9. §§ 7, 12, 14, 4.12. §§ 1, 15, 4.15.5, 4.16. §§ 1, 7, 5.1. §§ 17, 43, 5.8.12.)
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