Ada of Caria
Encyclopedia
Ada of Caria (fl.
377
– 326 BC
) was satrap
of Caria
in the 4th century BC.
Ada was the daughter of Hecatomnus
, satrap
of Caria
, and sister of Mausolus
, Artemisia
, Idrieus
, and Pixodarus
. She was married to her brother Idrieus, who succeeded Artemisia in 351 BC and died in 344 BC. On the death of her husband Ada became satrap
of Caria, but was expelled by her brother Pixodarus in 340 BC; and on the death of the latter in 335 BC his son-in-law Orontobates
received the satrapy of Caria from the Persian Great King
.
When Alexander the Great entered Caria in 334 BC, Ada, who was in possession of the fortress of Alinda
, surrendered the fortress to him. After taking Halicarnassus
(modern Bodrum), Alexander committed the government of Caria to her; she, in turn, formally adopted Alexander as her son, ensuring that the rule of Caria passed unconditionally to him upon her eventual death.
According to Turkish archaeologists, the tomb of Ada has been discovered. Her remains are on display in the archaeological museum of Bodrum.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
377
377 BC
Year 377 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Mamercinus, Poplicola, Cicurinus, Rufus , Cincinnatus and Cincinnatus...
– 326 BC
326 BC
Year 326 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Visolus and Cursor...
) was satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
of Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
in the 4th century BC.
Ada was the daughter of Hecatomnus
Hecatomnus
Hecatomnus was king or dynast of Caria in the reign of Artaxerxes II of Persia .-Biography:...
, satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
of Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
, and sister of Mausolus
Mausolus
Mausolus was ruler of Caria . He took part in the revolt against Artaxerxes Mnemon , conquered a great part of Lycia, Ionia and several Greek islands and cooperated with the Rhodians in the Social War against Athens...
, Artemisia
Artemisia II of Caria
Artemisia II of Caria was a sister, the wife and the successor of the king Mausolus. She was a daughter of Hecatomnus, and after the death of her husband she reigned for two years, from 353 to 351 BC...
, Idrieus
Idrieus
-Biography:He was the second son of Hecatomnus, and succeeded to the throne on the death of his sister Artemisia in 351 BC.Shortly after his accession he was required by the Persian king, Artaxerxes III Ochus, to provide arms and troops for the capture of Cyprus, a request with which he readily...
, and Pixodarus
Pixodarus of Caria
Pixodarus was a prince or king of Caria.-Biography:He was the youngest of the three sons of Hecatomnus, all of whom successively held the sovereignty of their native country...
. She was married to her brother Idrieus, who succeeded Artemisia in 351 BC and died in 344 BC. On the death of her husband Ada became satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
of Caria, but was expelled by her brother Pixodarus in 340 BC; and on the death of the latter in 335 BC his son-in-law Orontobates
Orontobates
Orontobates was a Persian, who married the daughter of Pixodarus, the usurping satrap of Caria, and was sent by the king of Persia to succeed him. On the approach of Alexander III of Macedon Orontobates and Memnon of Rhodes entrenched themselves in Halicarnassus...
received the satrapy of Caria from the Persian Great King
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire , sometimes known as First Persian Empire and/or Persian Empire, was founded in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great who overthrew the Median confederation...
.
When Alexander the Great entered Caria in 334 BC, Ada, who was in possession of the fortress of Alinda
Alinda
Alinda was an ancient inland city of Caria in Anatolia.Alinda may also refer to:* 887 Alinda, an asteroid* Alinda , a genus of land snails* Alinda family, a group of asteroids...
, surrendered the fortress to him. After taking Halicarnassus
Halicarnassus
Halicarnassus was an ancient Greek city at the site of modern Bodrum in Turkey. It was located in southwest Caria on a picturesque, advantageous site on the Ceramic Gulf. The city was famous for the tomb of Mausolus, the origin of the word mausoleum, built between 353 BC and 350 BC, and...
(modern Bodrum), Alexander committed the government of Caria to her; she, in turn, formally adopted Alexander as her son, ensuring that the rule of Caria passed unconditionally to him upon her eventual death.
According to Turkish archaeologists, the tomb of Ada has been discovered. Her remains are on display in the archaeological museum of Bodrum.