Was Sibyrtios ever Satrap of Karmania?

Abstract

The present paper deals with Sibyrtios, one of Alexander’s satraps in Iran. The prevailing view among modern scholars is that in Karmania Alexander replaced the executed satrap Astaspes with Sibyrtios, but that, upon learning that Apollophanes and Thoas, the successive satraps of Gedrosia, had both died, Sibyrtios was transferred from Karmania to the combined satrapy of Arachosia-Gedrosia. Tlepolemos replaced Sibyrtios in Karmania. In effect, scholars follow Arrian, though some have recognized that the names of Apollophanes and Astaspes must have been confused by that author. This study shows that there had been no interim satrap (i.e. Sibyrtios) in Karmania. When Alexander learned of the death of Thoas, he reunited the satrapies of Arachosia and Gedrosia, thus enlarging Sibyrtios’ administrative territory. The man himself had probably never set foot in Karmania.