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{{Short description|Achaemenid satrap and pretender to throne (died 329 BC)}}
{{good article}}
{{About|the self-proclaimed Achaemenid king|the Christian saint|Saint Bessus}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name            = Bessus
| title           = 
| image           = Alexander Executes Janusiyar and Mahiyar, the Slayers of Darius", Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi MET (cropped).jpg
| caption         = "Alexander executes Janushyar and Mahiyar, the slayers of Darius." Folio from a manuscript of [[Ferdowsi]]'s ''[[Shahnameh]]'' ("Book of Kings"), created in [[Shiraz]], dated 1482.
| succession      = [[King of Kings]] of the [[Achaemenid Empire]]
| reign           = 330–329 BC
| predecessor     = [[Darius III]]
| successor       = [[Alexander the Great]] <small>([[Macedonian Empire]])</small>
| dynasty         = [[Achaemenid dynasty]]
| father          = 
| mother          = 
| birth_date      =
| birth_place     = 
| death_date      = 329 BC
| death_place     = [[Ecbatana]]
| place of burial = 
| religion        = [[Zoroastrianism]]
| children        = 
}}
'''Bessus''' or '''Bessos''' ({{langx|peo|*Bayaçā}}; {{lang-grc-gre|Βήσσος}}), also known by his throne name '''Artaxerxes V''' ({{langx|peo|<small>𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠</small>}} {{transl|peo|Artaxšaçāʰ}}; {{lang-grc-gre|Ἀρταξέρξης}}; died summer 329 BC), was a [[Persians|Persian]] [[satrap]] of the eastern [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] satrapy of [[Bactria]], as well as the self-proclaimed [[King of Kings]] of the Achaemenid Empire from 330 to 329 BC.

A member of the ruling [[Achaemenid dynasty]], Bessus came to power shortly after killing the legitimate Achaemenid ruler [[Darius III]] ({{reign|336|330|era=BC}}), and subsequently attempted to hold the eastern part of the empire against the [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonian]] king [[Alexander the Great]] ({{reign|336|323|era=BC}}). His realm quickly started to fall apart, including Bactria, which was the main center. Fleeing into [[Sogdia]], he was arrested by his own officers, who handed him over to Alexander, who had him executed at [[Ecbatana]].

Bessus appears in the 11th-century Persian epic ''[[Shahnameh]]'' under the name of Janusipar/Janushyar.

== Name ==
"Bessus" (Βήσσος) is the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] transliteration of the [[Old Persian]] name ''*Bayaçā'' ("protecting from fear").{{sfn|Tavernier|2007|p=149}}{{sfn|Tuplin|2020|p=149}} ''{{lang|la|Artaxerxes}}'' is the [[Latin]] form of the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Artaxerxes'' ({{lang|grc|Αρταξέρξης}}), itself from the Old Persian ''Artaxšaçā'' ({{lang|peo|𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠}}, "whose reign is through [[Asha|truth]]").{{sfn|Schmitt|1986|pp=654–655}} It is known in other languages as; [[Elamite]] ''Ir-tak-ik-ša-iš-ša'', ''Ir-da-ik-ša-iš-ša''; [[Akkadian language|Akkadian]] ''Ar-ta-ʾ-ḫa-šá-is-su''; [[Middle Persian]] and [[New Persian]] ''Ardašīr''.{{sfn|Frye|1983|p=178}}{{sfn|Wiesehöfer|1986|pp=371–376}}

== Career ==
Nothing is known about the background of Bessus, except that he belonged to the ruling [[Achaemenid dynasty]].{{sfn|Briant|2002|p=871}}{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}} During the reign of the [[King of Kings]] [[Darius III]] ({{reign|336|330|era=BC}}), Bessus was made the [[satrap]] of [[Bactria]], an important satrapy in the eastern part of the empire.{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}} Bactria, which had been under [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] rule since 545–540 BC, was prosperous and populous. As shown by archaeological findings, agriculture, trade, commerce and handicraft thrived in the area.{{sfn|Olbrycht|2021|p=45}} The office of satrap of Bactria seems to have occasionally been equivalent to a "vice-king of the east" type of position.{{sfn|Stark|2021|p=702}}

As the satrap of Bactria, Bessus was able to exert his rule over [[Sogdia]] to the north, and regions that bordered [[History of India|India]]. He managed to retain the loyalty of the [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] nomadic groups in [[Central Asia]], the [[Saka]], the [[Dahae]] and the [[Massagetae]].{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}} According to the [[Iranologist]] [[Richard Foltz]], the eastern satrapies were practically Bessus' personal domain.{{sfn|Foltz|2019|p=35}} Following the Persian defeat at the [[Battle of Issus]] against the [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonian]] king [[Alexander the Great]] ({{reign|336|323|era=BC}}) in 333 BC, Darius III summoned Bessus to aid him.{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=71}} 

Bessus later took part in the [[Battle of Gaugamela]] against Alexander in 331 BC, where he supplied Darius III with a contingent composed of Bactrians, Sogdians, Indians, as well as his [[Saka]] allies.<ref>Arrian, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/11I*.html Chapter VIII].</ref>{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}} He led the cavalry on the left wing of the Persian forces, with the intention of crippling Alexander's attack on that flank. Following the Persian defeat at the battle, Bessus followed Darius III in his flight to the city of [[Ecbatana]] in [[Media (region)|Media]]. There Bessus conspired against Darius III with other Persian grandees, such as the [[chiliarch]] [[Nabarzanes]], and [[Barsaentes]], the satrap of [[Arachosia]]–[[Drangiana]].{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=71}}{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}} Together they arrested Darius III in mid-330 BC, with Bessus being chosen as the leader of the Achaemenid forces, probably due to his Achaemenid descent.{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=71}} The arrest of Darius III gave Alexander the [[pretext]] of avenging him. Fleeing from the pursuing Macedonian forces, Bessus and the rebels carried Darius III in a covered wagon, reportedly in golden chains. In order to buy some time for their escape, Bessus and his co-conspirators killed Darius III and left his body by the road.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=164}} The murder took place near [[Hecatompylus]], in July 330 BC. Darius III's body was later found by Alexander, who had him buried in the royal crypt in [[Persepolis]].{{sfn|Binder|2021|p=469}}{{sfn|EIr.|1994|pp=51–54}}

== Reign ==
[[Image:Khalili Collection Aramaic Documents IA21.jpg|thumb|List of supplies for Bessus, November–December 330 BC, from a collection of Achaemenid administrative documents]]
In the autumn of 330, at the Bactrian capital of [[Balkh|Bactra]], Bessus declared himself King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, assuming the royal name of Artaxerxes V.{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}} There he attempted to hold the eastern part of the empire against Alexander.{{sfn|Kuhrt|Sancisi-Weerdenburg|2006}} His domain encompassed Bactria, the main center; Sogdia, administered by officers such as [[Spitamenes]] and [[Oxyartes]]; the nomadic Iranian tribes of Central Asia; [[Aria (region)|Aria]], governed by the satrap [[Satibarzanes]], who had initially surrendered to Alexander; Arachosia-Drangiana, governed by Barsaentes; Parthia and Hyrcania, governed by Nabarazanes following his appointment by Bessus; and western India.{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}}{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=171}} Bessus' usurpation and the invigorated resistance in Central Asia created a new problem for the Macedonians. If they failed to confront Bessus, his usurpation could be seen as change in government, thus rendering Darius III's death irrelevant.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=171}} However, Bessus' empire quickly started to fall apart; Nabarzanes, accepting his hopeless position, surrendered to Alexander and was pardoned with the help of [[Bagoas (courtier)|Bagoas]].{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=171}}{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=167}} Satibarzanes was defeated and killed by the Macedonian forces in 329 BC, before Bessus was able to help him.{{sfn|Weiskopf|1989|pp=174–175}}{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=72}} Around the same time, Barsaentes fled to India to escape the Macedonian forces.{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=69}}

According to the 1st-century BC Greek historian [[Diodorus Siculus]] (died 30 BC), Bessus had plans to defend Bactria, and urged its inhabitants to fight for their independence. He was able to muster a satrapal levy of 8,000 Bactrians, seemingly the remnants of the troops that had fought under him at Gaugamela. However, many of those soldiers dispersed after receiving news that Alexander had crossed the [[Hindu Kush]]. Instead of making a stand, Bessus fled into Sogdia by crossing the [[Oxus]], where he hoped to obtain aid from the Sogdians, the [[Chorasmia]]ns, and the "[[Scythians]] dwelling beyond the river [[Don (river)|Tanais]]".{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=175 (see also note 19)}}{{sfn|Stark|2021|p=702}} His flight from Bactria alienated many of his Bactrian supporters.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=176}} The [[Canadians|Canadian]] historian [[Waldemar Heckel]] suggests that Bessus may have in reality not been particularly popular, and adds that his most prominent supporters had either been killed or fled. The [[hyparch]]s and local dynasts of Bactria-Sogdiana now realized that they were isolated, and so a victory – at least a great one – was unlikely.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=176}} 
[[File:The punishment of Bessus by Andre Castaigne (1898-1899).jpg|thumb|''The Punishment of Bessus'' ([[André Castaigne]], 1899)]]
Alexander, since his victory at Gaugamela, had behaved in the same manner as a sovereign ruler, and had been on several occasions afterwards acknowledged as the "King of Asia." His actions indicated that he planned to continue the administrative system of the Achaemenid Empire, which meant that the local leaders in Central Asia would be allowed to maintain their authority. Furthermore, Alexander had not only pardoned many of his former opponents, but had also restored them to their former satrapies. Thus, the indigenous rulers now regarded Bessus as being a threat to their continued security.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|pp=176–177}} At Nautaca (present-day [[Shahrisabz]]) Bessus was arrested by his Sogdian officers, who included Spitamenes, Dataphernes, and Catanes. They then handed him over to the following Macedonian forces.{{sfn|Heckel|2006|p=72}}{{sfn|Stark|2021|p=702}} The handing over of Bessus took place in a village, where he had been left by Spitamenes and Dataphernes. He was picked up by the Macedonian general [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]] who following Alexander's instructions, had Bessus brought to him naked in bonds.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|pp=177–178}} Bessus was at first [[Flagellation|flogged]] in public, and then his ears and nose were cut off, a traditional Persian punishment. He was finally sent to Ecbatana, where the Macedonians had him executed.{{sfn|Heckel|2020|p=178}} The execution was supervised by Darius III's brother [[Oxyathres of Persia|Oxyathres]].{{sfn|Nawotka|2021|p=479}}

== In Persian literature ==
Bessus appears in the 11th-century Persian epic ''[[Shahnameh]]'' ("Book of Kings") under the name of Janusipar/Janushyar.{{sfn|Briant|2015|p=394}} Seeing as they are in a hopeless position, Janusipar along with Mahyar (Nabarzanes) murders [[Dara II]] (Darius III) and then attempt to negotiate with Iskandar (Alexander), eventually meeting up with him.{{sfn|Briant|2015|pp=384, 404}} Following the funeral of Dara, Iskandar has Janusipar and Mahyar executed.{{sfn|Briant|2015|p=404}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== Bibliography ==
=== Ancient works ===
* [[Arrian]], ''[[The Anabasis of Alexander]]''.

=== Modern works ===
* {{cite book |last=Binder|first=Carsten|chapter=From Darius II to Darius III|editor-last1=Jacobs|editor-first1=Bruno|editor-last2=Rollinger|editor-first2=Robert|title=A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire |date=2021 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qZA7EAAAQBAJ|pages=457–473|isbn=978-1119174288}}
* {{cite book | title = From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire | year = 2002 | publisher = Eisenbrauns | last = Briant | first = Pierre | author-link = Pierre Briant | isbn = 978-1575060316 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lxQ9W6F1oSYC&q=false }}
* {{citation |last=Briant |first=Pierre |date=2015 |title=Darius in the Shadow of Alexander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ul_rBQAAQBAJ |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0674493094}}
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | volume=7 | fascicle=2 | title = Darius v. Darius III | last = EIr. | url = https://iranicaonline.org/articles/darius-v | pages = 51–54}}
* {{cite book | last = Foltz | first = Richard | author-link = Richard Foltz | title = A History of the Tajiks: Iranians of the East | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=U2KmDwAAQBAJ | year = 2019 | publisher = Bloomsbury Publishing | location = New York | isbn = 978-1784539559}}
* {{Cambridge History of Iran|volume=3a|last=Frye|first=R. N.|authorlink=Richard Nelson Frye|chapter=The political history of Iran under the Sasanians}}
* {{cite book|last=Heckel|first=Waldemar|authorlink=Waldemar Heckel|title=Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great: Prosopography of Alexander's Empire|year=2006|publisher=Blackwell Publishing|isbn=978-1405188395}}
* {{cite book | title = In the Path of Conquest: Resistance to Alexander the Great | year = 2020 | publisher = Oxford University Press | last = Heckel | first = Waldemar | isbn = 978-0190076689 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=FcjLDwAAQBAJ }}
* {{cite encyclopedia | last1 =Kuhrt | first1 =Amélie | last2 =Sancisi-Weerdenburg | first2 =Helen |author-link1=Amélie Kuhrt|author-link2=Heleen Sancisi-Weerdenburg| date = 2006 | title = Bessus | encyclopedia = Brill's New Pauly | publisher = Brill Online | editor-last1 = Salazar | editor-first1 = Christine F. | editor-last2 = Landfester | editor-first2 = Manfred | editor-last3 = Gentry | editor-first3 = Francis G. | url = https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/brill-s-new-pauly/*-e215960 }}
* {{cite book |last=Nawotka|first=Krzysztof|chapter=The Conquest by Alexander|editor-last1=Jacobs|editor-first1=Bruno|editor-last2=Rollinger|editor-first2=Robert|title=A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire |date=2021 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qZA7EAAAQBAJ|pages=473–485|isbn=978-1119174288}}
* {{cite book |last=Olbrycht|first=Marek Jan|year=2021|title=Early Arsakid Parthia (ca. 250-165 B.C.)|publisher=Brill|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHkxEAAAQBAJ|isbn=978-9004460751}}
* {{cite book |last=Tavernier |first=Jan |year=2007 |title=Iranica in the Achaeamenid Period (ca. 550-330 B.C.): Lexicon of Old Iranian Proper Names and Loanwords, Attested in Non-Iranian Texts |publisher=Peeters Publishers |isbn=978-90-429-1833-7 }}
* {{cite book |author-last =Tuplin|author-first=Christopher J.|chapter=The Bodleian Letters: Commentary|editor1-last=Tuplin |editor1-first=Christopher J. |editor2-last=Ma |editor2-first=John |title=Aršāma and his World: The Bodleian Letters in Context: Volume I: The Bodleian Letters |date=2020 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0199687640}}
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | title = Artaxerxes | last = Schmitt | first = R. | author-link=Rüdiger Schmitt | url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/artaxerxes-throne-name-of-several-persian-kings-of-the-achaemenid-dynasty | volume = 2 | fascicle = 6 | pages = 654–655 }}
* {{cite book |last=Stark|first=Sören|chapter=The Iranian East|editor-last1=Jacobs|editor-first1=Bruno|editor-last2=Rollinger|editor-first2=Robert|title=A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire |date=2021 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qZA7EAAAQBAJ|pages=695–711|isbn=978-1119174288}}
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | volume=4 | fascicle=2 | title = Bessos | last = Weiskopf | first = Michael | url = https://iranicaonline.org/articles/bessos-satrap-of-bactria | pages = 174–175}}
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | title = Ardašīr I i. History | last = Wiesehöfer | first = Joseph | author-link= Josef Wiesehöfer | url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ardasir-i | volume = 2 | fascicle = 4 | pages = 371–376 }}

== Further reading ==
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | title = Dārā(b) (1) | last = Tafazzoli | first = Ahmad | author-link = Ahmad Tafazzoli | url = https://iranicaonline.org/articles/darab-1 | volume = 7 | fascicle = 1 | pages = 1–2 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Müller |first1=Sabine |editor1-last=Wulfram |editor1-first=Hartmut |title=Der lateinische 'Alexanderroman' des Iulius Valerius |date=2023 |publisher=De Gruyter |pages=99–114 |chapter=Besas and Ariobarzanes: Trials and Tribulations regarding the Reception of the Identity, Deed, and Punishment of Darius’ assassins}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Achaemenid dynasty]]||?||329 BC}}
{{s-reg}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Darius III]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of kings of Persia|King of Kings of Persia]]|years=330–329 BC}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alexander the Great|Alexander III (Alexander the Great)]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Median and Achaemenid kings}}
{{Achaemenid rulers}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bessus}}
[[Category:4th-century BC Kings of the Achaemenid Empire]]
[[Category:Kings of the Achaemenid Empire]]
[[Category:Achaemenid satraps of Bactria]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:329 BC deaths]]
[[Category:People executed by Alexander the Great]]
[[Category:Executed regicides]]
[[Category:Executed Iranian people]]
[[Category:4th-century BC executions]]
[[Category:Executed monarchs]]
[[Category:4th-century BC Iranian people]]
[[Category:People executed by crucifixion]]
[[Category:Iranian torture victims]]
[[Category:Ancient torture victims]]
[[Category:People executed by decapitation]]
[[Category:Darius III]]