What powers did a satrap have in an Achaemenid province?

In the Achaemenid Empire, a satrap served as the provincial governor and head of the local administration. Their primary powers and responsibilities included:1

• Administration and Finance: Satraps were responsible for collecting taxes within their provinces. They were typically assisted by a court of powerful officials modeled after the central government.12
• Judicial Authority: They acted as the supreme judicial authority within their respective provinces.1
• Security and Military: Satraps were tasked with maintaining internal security and were responsible for raising and maintaining an army. While the king initially maintained direct control over standing military forces in the provinces, civil and military authority often became combined under the satrap over time.13

To prevent the abuse of these significant powers, the central government implemented various controls, such as appointing garrison commanders who reported directly to the king and utilizing royal inspectors known as the "king's eyes" or "king's ears" to monitor provincial affairs. Despite these measures, some satraps achieved virtual independence as central authority weakened in the later years of the empire.13