Mascames

Mascames (also spelled Maskames) was a Persian official and military commander, who flourished during the reign of Xerxes I (r. 486–465). He was the son of Megadostes, and was appointed governor of Doriscus in 480 BC by Xerxes I, succeeding the governor who had been appointed by Darius the Great (r. 522–486 BC). According to Herodotus, Mascames resisted all Greek attacks following the Second Persian invasion of Greece, and remained thus known as the only remaining Persian governor in Europe. Though the Greeks managed to clear other Persian garrisons in Europe, such as Eion, they were unable to take Doriscus from Mascames, which irked the Athenian military.

As no one managed to dislodge him, Mascames was highly honored by Xerxes I and received annual gifts from him for his bravery. Mascames's descendants (who succeeded him) continued to receive gifts from Xerxes I's successor, Artaxerxes I (r. 465–424 BC).

According to Antigoni Zournatzi (2000), Mascames may have been recalled from Doriscus by ca. 465 BC. The Achaemenid ruler probably recalled Mascames with his garrison around that date, and finally abandoned Doriscus.

Miroslav Ivanov Vasilev (2015) states that Mascames may have died by 465 BC.

• Dandamaev, M. A. (1989). A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire. Brill. ISBN 978-9004091726.
• Kuhrt, Amélie (2007). The Persian Empire: A Corpus of Sources from the Achaemenid Period. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415552790.
• Vasilev, Miroslav Ivanov (2015). The Policy of Darius and Xerxes towards Thrace and Macedonia. Brill. ISBN 978-9004282155.
• Waters, Matt (2014). Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550–330 BCE. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107652729.
• Zournatzi, Antigoni (2000). "Inscribed Silver Vessels of the Odrysian Kings: Gifts, Tribute, and the Diffusion of the Forms of "Achaemenid" Metalware in Thrace". American Journal of Archaeology. 104 (4): 683–706. doi:10.2307/507153.