Demodamas (
Greek: Δημοδάμας) (flourished in the 3rd century BC), was a
Seleucid official of the 3rd century BC. Demodamas was born in
Miletus, and was the son of Aristides. He served as a general of the Seleucids under
Seleucus I Nicator and
Antiochus I Soter. Around 294–293 and 281–280 BC, Demodamas served as the
satrap of the Seleucids in
Bactria and
Sogdiana. At the time, he undertook military expeditions across the
Syr Darya to explore the lands of the
Scythians, during which he traveled farther to the north than any Greeks before him, with the possible exception of
Alexander the Great. During the expedition, he repopulated
Alexandria Eschate, which had been destroyed by a previous
barbarian attack.[1] He also constructed several altars in honour of
Apollo along the river.[2] Demodamas later wrote an autobiographical account of his expeditions in
Central Asia, which served as an important source for the
Roman geographers
Strabo and
Pliny the Elder.[2]