Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVII, Chapter 81

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After his hands were free of this affair and he had settled things in Drangine, Alexander marched with his army against a people who used to be called Arimaspians but are now known as Benefactors for the following reason. That Cyrus who had transferred the rule from the Medes to the Persians was once engaged in a campaign in the desert and running out of provisions was brought into extreme danger, so that for lack of food the soldiers were constrained to eat each other, when the Arimaspians appeared bringing thirty thousand wagons laden with provisions. Saved from utter despair, then, Cyrus gave them exemption from taxation and other marks of honour, and abolishing their former appellation, named them Benefactors. [2] So now, when Alexander led his army into their country, they received him kindly and he honoured the tribe with suitable gifts.¹

Their neighbours, the so-called Cedrosians,² did the same, and them too he rewarded with appropriate favours. He gave the administration of these two peoples to Tiridates.³ [3] While he was thus occupied reports were brought to him that Satibarzanes had returned from Bactria with a large force of cavalry to Areia, and had caused the population to revolt from Alexander. At this news, the king dispatched against him a portion of his army under the command of Erigyius and Stasanor, while he himself conquered Arachosia and in a few days made it subject to him.⁴

1 Curtius 7.3.3; Arrian. 3.27.4-5.

2 These are usually called Gedrosians.

3 Arrian. 3.27.5 reports that these tribes were left independent; it may be that this Tiridates was a native of the country (Berve, Alexanderreich, 2, no. 755). Menon became satrap of Gedrosia and Arachosia (Arrian. 3.28.1) or of Arachosia alone (Curtius 7.3.5).

4 Curtius 7.3.2; Arrian. 3.28.2-3. They both report that the Macedonian troops were commanded by Erigyius and Caranus, but that Stasanor took over the satrapy in place of the revolted satrap Arsames.

Diodorus Siculus. Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes with an English Translation by C. H. Oldfather. Vol. 4-8. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989.

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Cross-references to this page (5):
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ARIASPAE
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), DRANGIA´NA
- Smith's Bio, Cara'nus
- Smith's Bio, Satibarza'nes
- Smith's Bio, Tirida'tes
Cross-references in notes from this page (7):
- Arrian, Anabasis, 3.27.4
- Arrian, Anabasis, 3.27.5
- Arrian, Anabasis, 3.28.1
- Arrian, Anabasis, 3.28.2
- Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 7.3.2
- Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 7.3.3
- Curtius, Historiarum Alexandri Magni, 7.3.5

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