Orontobates (in
Greek Ὀρoντoβάτης. Old Persian
Aurandabad, lived 4th century BC) was a
Persian, who married the daughter of
Pixodarus, the usurping
satrap of
Caria, and was sent by the king of
Persia to succeed him. On the approach of
Alexander the Great of Macedon (334 BC) Orontobates and
Memnon of Rhodes entrenched themselves in
Halicarnassus. But at last, despairing of defending it, they set fire to the town, and under cover of the conflagration crossed over to
Cos, whither they had previously removed their treasures. In addition to the island of Cos, Orontobates, retained control of the citadel at Salmacis, and the towns
Myndus, Caunus,
Thera and Callipolis together with
Triopium.