Kuka naimisissa Barsine?

Barsine (Βαρσινη, noin 363 eaa.-309 eaa.) oli persialaisen satraapin Artabazoksen vanhin tytär. Barsine oli Aleksanteri Suuren rakastajatar ja he saivat yhdessä pojan Herakleen.

Barsine meni jo nuorena naimisiin rodoslaisen Mentorin kanssa. Barsinen isä joutui pakenemaan perheineen Makedoniaan Filippos II:n hoviin vuonna 354 eaa. sen jälkeen kun hän oli kapinoinut kuningas Artakserkses III:a vastaan. Barsine tapasi luultavasti Filippoksen pojan Aleksanterin ja tämän opettajan Aristoteleen. Mentorin ansiosta Artakserkses armahti Artabazoksen ja tämä sai palata Persiaan. Mentor kuoli kuitenkin pian tämän jälkeen ja Barsine meni uusiin naimisiin Mentorin veljen Memnonin kanssa.

Aleksanteri Suuri hyökkäsi Persiaan vuonna 334 eaa. ja aluksi persialaisia joukkoja häntä vastaan johti Memnon ja myöhemmin Barsinen veli Farnabazos. Barsine joutui viettämään tämän ajan Dareios III:n hovissa. Issoksen taistelun jälkeen Aleksanteri sai vangiksi Dareioksen perheen ja myös Barsinen. Plutarkhoksen mukaan kenraali Parmenion suostutteli Aleksanterin ottamaan Barsinen rakastajattarekseen. Barsine poikkesi muista persialaisnaisita siinä että osasi kreikkaa ja tunsi makedonialaisten tavat.

Vuonna 327 eaa. Barsine synnytti Aleksanteri Suurelle pojan jolle annettiin nimeksi Herakles. Pian tämän jälkeen Aleksanteri kuitenkin otti vaimokseen Roksanen. Barsine palasi länteen ja hän asettui poikansa kanssa asumaan Pergamoniin. Vuonna 324 eaa. hän meni naimisiin Aleksanterin amiraalin ja lapsuudenystävän Nearkhoksen kanssa.

Aleksanterin kuoltua Nearkhos ehdotti Heraklesta Makedonian kuninkaaksi, mutta diadokit eivät suostuneet tähän koska tämä oli pojan isäpuoli. Vuonna 309 eaa. Polyperkhon yritti tehdä Herakleesta Makedonian kuninkaan, mutta tämä epäonnistui. Barsine ja Herakles teloitettiin pian tämän jälkeen.

Mentor of Rhodes (Ancient Greek: Μέντωρ Ῥόδιος) (c. 385 BC – c. 340 BC) was a Greek mercenary and later Satrap of the Asiatic coast. He fought both for and against Artaxerxes III of Persia. He is also known as the first husband of Barsine, who later became a mistress to Alexander the Great.

In 358 BC, Mentor, along with his brother Memnon, were hired to provide military leadership by a rebel Persian satrap, Artabazus. Despite Mentor's capable leadership, the rebellion failed, and Artabazus, Barsine and Memnon fled to Macedon, where they were welcomed by Philip II. Mentor fled to Egypt.

Pharaoh Nectanebo II immediately enlisted the aid of the Greek mercenary, as he expected a Persian invasion was imminent. The pharaoh sent Mentor, at the head of 4000 mercenaries, to support Sidon, which had rebelled from Persia. Although Mentor won significant victories against some of the satraps, he was unable to defeat Artaxerxes' army, and was captured in 346 BC.

Upon his capture, Artaxerxes evidently recognized Mentor's skills, and pardoned him. Immediately, Mentor was sent to aid in the invasion of his former refuge, Egypt. During the Egyptian campaign, Mentor led one of three divisions of the great king's Hellenic army. Mentor shared the command with Bagoas, a Persian of some note whom Diodorus of Sicily describes as the man 'whom the King trusted most, a man exceptionally daring and impatient of propriety'. The pair had some success in Egypt taking Bubastus, along with other cities, by one cunning device: garrisoning the cities were both native Egyptians and Greek mercenary troops, so Mentor offered one side or the other a favourable surrender leading to infighting within the garrisons which weakened their effectiveness and made it much easier for the Persians to gain the city by subterfuge. This tactic proved critical in the battle for Egypt. With Nectanebo facing the loss of so many of his fortified towns and cities, he withdrew from Memphis towards the south, choosing not to contest his kingship in pitched battle.

After the defeat of Egypt, "Artaxerxes, seeing that Mentor the general had performed great services for him in the war against the Egyptians, advanced him over and above his other friends." The king appointed Mentor his commander in the west in 342 BC and satrap of the Asiatic coast; he was also given a vast trove of silver. One of his actions during his short tenure at satrap was to pardon Artabazus, whom he allowed to return home, along with Barsine and Memnon. Mentor died after just four years in his post. His daughter later married Nearchus while Barsine married Memnon. Memnon received Mentor's command after his brother's death.

Memnon Rhodoslainen (m.kreik. Μέμνων ὁ Ῥόδιος, Memnōn ho Rhodios, noin 380–333 eaa.) oli rhodoslainen sotilas, joka johti kreikkalaisia palkkasotilaita, jotka olivat Persian kuninkaan Dareios III:n alaisena. Hän johti joukkojaan, kun Aleksanteri Suuri hyökkäsi Persiaan vuonna 334 eaa.