Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia
| Ariobarzanes I | |
|---|---|
 Coin of Ariobarzanes, minted atMazacain 83/82 BC | |
| King ofCappadocia | |
| Reign | 95–63/62 BC |
| Predecessor | Ariarathes VIII(Ariarathid dynasty) |
| Successor | Ariobarzanes II |
| Spouse | Athenais Philostorgos I |
| Issue | Ariobarzanes II |
Ariobarzanes I(Ancient Greek:Ἀριοβαρζάνης), surnamedPhiloromaios(Ancient Greek:Φιλορωμαίος,romanized:Philorōmaíos,"Friend to the Romans" ), was the first Ariobarzanid king ofCappadociafrom 95 BC to 63/62 BC. Ariobarzanes I was a Cappadocian nobleman of obscure origins who was ofPersiandescent.
Name[edit]
"Ariobarzanes" is theGreekform of theOld Iranianname*Ārya-bṛzāna-,possibly meaning "exalting theAryans".[1]It is uncertain whether Ariobarzanes had adopted this name at his accession or that it was a personal one.[2]
Biography[edit]
Ariobarzanes belonged to one of thePersianaristocratic families ofCappadocia.[3]Like the previous rulingAriarathid dynasty,Ariobarzanes also claimed to be a direct descendant of the companions ofDarius the Great(r. 522–486 BC), the king of theAchaemenid Empire(550–330 BC). Ariobarzanes continued to mint the same Greek-style coins as the Ariarathids, albeit with a new addition. As a demonstration of his political allegiance with the Romans, he adopted the Romanveristicstyle on his portraits.[2]
Ariobarzanes I was originally put in place by the citizens vote of Cappadocia after theRoman Senaterejected the claims ofAriarathes IX of Cappadociaand was supported by theRoman consulLucius Cornelius Sulla.He was in control on-and-off of a kingdom that was considered a Roman protectorate and he was removed three separate times by KingMithridatesbefore not only securing but actually increasing his lands under generalPompeyin theThird Mithridatic War.[4]He eventually abdicated, making way for the rule of his sonAriobarzanes II of Cappadociain 63/62 BC.
Ariobarzanes' queen was a Greek noblewoman,Athenais Philostorgos I.Athenais bore Ariobarzanes I two children: a son, Ariobarzanes II, who succeeded him, and a daughter, Isias, who married the KingAntiochus I Theos of Commagene.
References[edit]
- ^Dandamayev, Shahbazi & Lecoq 1986,pp. 406–409.
- ^abMiller 2017,p. 63.
- ^Canepa 2018,p. 107.
- ^Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)..Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 491–492.
Sources[edit]
- Canepa, Matthew(2018).The Iranian Expanse: Transforming Royal Identity Through Architecture, Landscape, and the Built Environment, 550 BCE–642 CE.Oakland:University of California Press.ISBN9780520379206.
- Dandamayev, M. A.; Shahbazi, A. Sh.; Lecoq, P. (1986)."Ariobarzanes".InYarshater, Ehsan(ed.).Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume II/4: Architecture IV–Armenia and Iran IV.London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 406–409.ISBN978-0-71009-104-8.
- Miller, Margaret C.(2017). "Quoting 'Persia' in Athens". In Strootman, Rolf; Versluys, Miguel John (eds.).Persianism in Antiquity.Franz Steiner Verlag. pp. 49–69.ISBN978-3515113823.