Pharnabazus, son of Artabazus

Pharnabazus (in Greek Φαρνάβαζος; c.370 - after 320) was a Persian satrap who fought against Alexander the Great.

Youth
Pharnabazus was the son of Artabazus, satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia. However, he was exiled after a failed rebellion against Artaxerxes III in 358. The family relocated to Macedonia, where they met the young Alexander. With Pharnabazus was Memnon of Rhodes, a Greek mercenary and relative by marriage.

Pharnabazus and Memnon were later allowed to return to Persia, where Memnon took command of the Persian navy in the Aegean with Pharnabazus as his assistant.

War against Alexander
When Alexander invaded the Persian empire, Memnon defended the stategically important town of Halicarnassus, which Alexander was then diverted to capture, forcing him to seek reinforcements which allowed the Persians to regroup.

Memnon and Pharnabazus then directed their strategy to disrupt Alexander's supply lines by taking Aegean islands near the Hellespont and by fomenting rebellion in Greece. The Spartan king Agis III and the Athenian statesman Demosthenes organised forces to liberate Greece from the Macedonians. Memnon and Pharnabazus took Cos and Chios, but during the siege of Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos, Memnon died of a fever. Pharnabazus took control, assisted by Autophradates. They captured Mytilene and the isle of Tenedos which gave him control over the Hellespont.

Pharnabazus further threatened Alexander's supplies by establishing a fortified position near Halicarnassus, which made the harbour inaccessible. He also took Samothrace, Siphnos and Andros and seized all Greek supply ships.

However, after the Persian king Darius lost the decisive battle of Issus in November 333 Pharnabazus became increasingly isolated. King Agis withdrew from outright rebellion. Pharnabazus had to deal with rebellions in his conquered territory and his troops deserted. His much-reduced navy was defeated near Chios and Pharnabazus was captured. When being taken to Alexander, he escaped and retreated to Cos.

Late life
What happened after his escape is not known. There is a gap in the records. It is assumed that he eventually submitted to Alexander, since in 324 BC, Artonis, the sister of Pharnabazus, was given in marriage to Eumenes by Alexander the Great; and in 321 BC we find Pharnabazus commanding a squadron of cavalry for Eumenes, in the battle in which he defeated Craterus and Neoptolemus.