Phratapiiernes
（
Φραταφέρνης).
1. A Persian who held the government of Parthia and Hyrcania, under Dareius Codomannus, and joined that monarch with the contingents from the provinces subject to his rule, shortly before the battle of Arbela, B. C. 331.
He afterwards accompanied the king on his flight into Hyrcania, but, after the death of Dareius, surrendered voluntarily to
Alexander, by whom he was kindly received, and appears to have been shortly after reinstated in his of Parthia, during the advance of
Alexander against Bessus, when he was detached by the king, together with Erigyius and Caranus to crush the revolt of Satibarzanes, in Asia.
He rejoined the king at Zariaspa, the following year.
The next winter (B. C. 328-327), during the stay of
Alexander at Nautaca, we find Phrataphernes again despatched to reduce the disobedient satrap of the Mardi and Tapui, Autophradates, a service which he successfully performed, and brought the rebel a captive to the kiln, by whom he was subsequently put to death.
He rejoined
Alexander in India, shortly after the defeat of Porus; but seems to have again returned to his satrapy, from whence we find him sending his son Pharasmanes with a large train of camels and beasts of burthen, laden with provisions for the supply of the army during the toilsome march through Gedrosia (
Arr. Anab. 3.8,
23,
28,
4.7,
18,
5.20,
6.27;
Curt. 6.4.23,
8.3.17,
9.10.17). From this time we hear no more of him until after the death of
Alexander.
In the first division of the provinces consequent on that event, he retained his government (
Diod. 18.3); but it is probable that he died previously to the second partition at Triparadeisus (B. C. 321), as on that occasion we find the satrapy of Parthia bestowed on Philip, who had been previously governor of Sogdiana. (Droysen,
Hellenism. vol. i. pp. 49, 151.)
