Mithridates_II_of_Commagene

Mithridates II of Commagene

Mithridates II of Commagene

King of Commagene (died 20 BC)


Mithridates II Antiochus Epiphanes Philorhomaeus Philhellen Monocrites (Greek: Μιθριδάτης Ἀντίοχος ὀ Ἐπιφανής Φιλορωμαίος Φιλέλλην Μονοκρίτης, died 20 BC), also known as Mithridates II of Commagene, was a king of Commagene in the 1st century BC.

Quick Facts King of Commagene, Reign ...

Of Iranian[1] and Greek descent, he was one of the sons of King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene. When his father died in c.31 BC, he succeeded his father and reigned until his death.

Biography

According to Plutarch, Mithridates was an ally of the Roman triumvir Mark Antony. In 31 BC, Mithridates personally led his forces to Actium in Greece in support of Antony in the war against Caesar Octavian, the future Roman emperor Augustus.[2] After the defeat of Antony, however, Mithridates became a loyal ally to Augustus. Nevertheless, Augustus forced Mithridates to hand over a village in Commagene called Zeugma, which was a major crossing point of the Euphrates River, to the Roman province of Syria. To show his support for Augustus, Mithridates dropped the title Philhellen ("friend of the Greeks") from his Aulic titulature and adopted the title Philorhomaeus ("friend of the Romans") instead. Both titles were derived from the Commagenean royal cult that Mithridates' father had founded, and in which Mithridates played an important role. His other title Monocrites is an otherwise unattested title and was most likely a judicial function within the royal administration and a sign of his high social standing.

Mithridates had a brother, Antiochus II of Commagene, who was also a prince of the kingdom.[3] In 29 BC, Antiochus was summoned to Rome and executed by Roman emperor Augustus, because Antiochus had caused the assassination of an ambassador whom Mithridates had sent to Rome.[3]


References

  1. Speidel, Michael Alexander (2005). "Early Roman Rule in Commagene" (PDF). citing Plutarch, Antony 61. Mavors-Institute for Ancient Military History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  2. Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Antiochus II". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. republished at AncientLibrary.com. p. 194. Retrieved 20 April 2015.

Sources

Preceded by King of Commagene
31–20 BC
Succeeded by

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