Lygdamis II of Halicarnassus

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Lygdamis II was tyrant of Caria, under the rule of the Achaemenid Empire.

Lygdamis II (Greek: Λύγδαμις) (ruled c.460-454 BCE) was a tyrant of Caria during the 5th century BCE, under the Achaemenid Empire.[1][2] His capital was in Halicarnassus. He was the grandson of Artemisia, and son of Pisindelis, the previous tyrant.[1]

Lygdamis assassinated the poet Panyassis, uncle of famous historian Herodotus, in 461, which forced Herodotus to leave his native city of Halicarnassus, fleeing to the island of Samos.[2]

After the death of Lygdamis, circa 454 BCE, Halicarnassus joined the Athenian alliance, known as the Delian League.[2] At that time, Halicarnassus started to appear on the Athenian tribute quota lists.[3]

From 395 BCE, Caria would again fall under the control of the Achaemenid Empire and be ruled by a new dynasty of local tyrants, the Hecatomnids.[4]

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