Conférence de l’EfA
Salle de conférences de l’EFA, Didotou 6

Olivier HENRY (IFEA, Istanbul)

The Karian Sanctuary of Labraunda
between Greeks and Persians

(lecture in English)
In the early 4th century BC, the Great King of Persia decided to reorganize its western satrapies. When it was the time to decide about Karia, the King decided not to send an envoy from his close sphere, as was the custom, but appointed a local dynast as satrap of the Persian Empire, Hekatomnos. Although the Hekatomnids reigned over Karia for less than a century, they left a deep mark that would echo for centuries. By using both the political and economical power given to them by the Persian administration, as well as the Greek cultural background they were familiar with, the Hekatomnid not only united Karia under their banner, but also completely transformed its landscape. Their use of both Greek and Persian references has been the subject of lengthily debates among scholars who qualify the Hekatomnids either as Persian dynasts or as proto-Hellenistic kings.