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Satraps
Governor of a province (satrapy) of the
ancient Persian Empire. A satrap was nominated by the king and given extensive
powers. Darius I reorganized the privileges and duties of his satraps in the 6th
cent. B.C. the number of satraps varied from 20 to 28 during his reign. To
prevent the concentration of power in one man's hands, certain officials,
responsible only to the king, checked up on the satrap. The king also regulated
the taxes and imposed a fixed sum upon each satrap. Alexander the Great revised
the system, replacing Persians with Macedonians and reducing their powers. The
command of the troops was taken from the satraps, who lost the right to engage
mercenaries and to issue coinage.
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Senior Project : 2001-2002 The Great Persian Empire Website
