Mausolus (Greek: Μαύσωλος or Μαύσσωλλος; Carian: 𐊪𐊠𐊲𐊸𐊫𐊦 Mauśoλ “very dear”) was a ruler of Caria (377–353 BC), nominally a satrap of the Achaemenid Empire. He enjoyed the status of king or dynast by virtue of the powerful position created by his father Hecatomnus (Carian: 𐊴𐊭𐊪𐊳𐊫 K̂tmño) who had succeeded the assassinated Persian Satrap Tissaphernes in the Carian satrapy and founded the hereditary dynasty of the Hecatomnids.