Orontes
2. A Persian, son-in-law of Artaxerxes Mnemon.
In the retreat of the Cyrean Greeks, when Tissaphernes joined their march, twenty days after his solemn and hollow treaty with them, Orontes accompanied him with a separate force under his command, and appears to have been a party to the treachery, by which the principal Greek generals were decoyed into the power of the Persians. He held the atrapy of Armenia (
Xen. Anab. 2.4. ยงยง 9, &100.5. 40, 3.5.17, 4.3. $sect; 4.)
It seems to have been the same Orontes who was appointed by Artaxerxes (in B. C. 386, according to Diodorus) to command the land forces against EVAGORAS, the fleet being committed to Tiribazus. In 385, Tiribazus offered Evagoras certain conditions of peace, which the latter was willing to accept, protesting only against the requisition that he should acknowledge himself the mere vassal of Persia, and claiming the title of king. Hereupon Orontes, jealous of Tiribazus, wrote to court accusing him of treason, and obtained in answer an order to arrest his colleague, and to take upon himself the sole command of the forces. But Tiribazus was a favourite with the army, and the general dissatisfaction, together with wome desertions, alarmed Orontes for the result of the war.
He hastened therefore to make peace with Evagoras, on the very terms on which the latter had before insisted, and which Tiribazus had refused to grant. Not long after this, the trial of Tiribazus took place.
The judges appointed by Artaxerxes unanimously acquitted him, and Orontes was disgraced, and lost the royal favour. (Diod.15.2-4, 8-11; Isocr.
Evag. p. 201d; Theopomp. ap.
Phot. Bibl. 176; Wess.
ad Diod. 14.26; Clint.
F. H. vol. ii. App. xii.)
