SATRAP (warpartn) was the name given to the governor of a pro viuee of the l'ersian empire. He was appointed by the king, and was responsible alone to him. Such a system of government has always existed in the largo Asiatic empires; but the advantage which the Persian system had over many others of a similar kind, was the careful separation made between the civil and military powers. The governors of the garrisons and the commanders of the troops were independent of die satraps, and responsible only to the king. The duties of the satraps are briefly defined by Xenophon to consist in governing the inhabitants, receiving the tributes, paying the garrisons, and attending to whatever else is necessary. (' Cyrop., viii. 6, § 1-3.) In the later times of the Persian empire, it became the custom to appoint the Karma to the command of the troops also, especially if they were members of the royal family. In this manner the younger Cyrus was appointed satrap of one of the western provinces of Asia Minor, and at the same time general of all the forces which assembled in the plain of Castolum. (Xen., ' Anab.,' i. 1, § '2.) The practice of uniting the civil
and military powers in one person, and the greatness of the command entrusted in Some cases, was also dangerous to the royal power. An instance of this kind occurs as early as the time of the first Darius, in the case of Orates, who was governor of l'hrygia Lydia, and Ionia, and was so powerful that Darius dared not proceed openly against him. (Herod., ill. 127.) Subsequently this practice became still more frequent ; Cyrus had the command of the greater part of the western provinces of Asia 3liner ; and after his death, Tissaphernes was allowed to hold them in addition to his own. From this period we frequently read of revolts of the satraps, and many of them became quite inde pendent of the king of Persia. (Heeren s Asiatic Nations,' vol. i)