Memnon of Rhodes

Greek condottiere of Rhodes, brother of Mentor and brother-in-law of Artabazus of Phrygia, commander of the Greek mercenary corps in Achaemenid service in the 340s and 330s. Before Granicus he proposed to the Persian council of satraps the scorched-earth strategy of retreating before Alexander and burning Asia Minor to starve him back to Macedon; the satraps overruled him in favour of battle at the river, and the battle was lost (Arr. *Anab.* 1.12–13 + Diod. 17.18). After Granicus the surviving Persian defence was entrusted to him; he retook much of the Aegean for Darius in 333, was besieging Mytilene when he died of illness in early 333 — ancient opinion (Diod. 17.29–31 + Plut. *Alex.* 18) holds that his death was the single greatest piece of luck Alexander had in the whole campaign.

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