Polemon I of Pontus

Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon I or Polemon I of Pontus (Greek: Πολέμων Πυθόδωρος; fl. 1st century BC – died 8 BC) was the Roman Client King of Cilicia, Pontus, Colchis and the Bosporan Kingdom.

Life and career

Polemon was the son and heir of Zenon and possibly Tryphaena. He was Anatolian Greek. Polemon’s father, Zenon, was an orator and a prominent aristocrat from Laodicea on the Lycus Anatolia. Zenon encouraged the locals to resist the Roman General Quintus Labienus and King Pacorus I of Parthia, when their armies invaded Syria and Anatolia. Zenon was a friend and ally to Roman Triumvir Mark Antony and played a leading role during the Parthian invasion in 40 BC.

For Zenon’s service to the Parthian Campaign, Antony appointed Polemon in 39 BC, as Roman Client King of Cilicia replacing Darius, son of Pharnaces.^[1] In 37 BC after the death of King Arsaces of Pontus, Antony appointed him as Roman Client King of Pontus. In 36 BC, Polemon assisted Antony in his military campaign against Parthia. The Parthians defeated Antony and Polemon. Polemon was captured and taken prisoner by the Parthian King. After a ransom was allowed, Polemon was released. By this time, Polemon was ruling from Iconium (modern Konya) in Lycaonia.

In 35 BC, Polemon assisted Antony in making an alliance with Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene with Rome, whom the Median King was an ally to Parthia. Both Antony and Polemon, succeeded in this alliance to happen. During the naval Battle of Actium in 31 BC, Polemon had sent Antony an auxiliary force. Before Actium, Polemon made peace with the triumvir Octavian and became his ally. After the death of Antony, Octavian became the Roman emperor Augustus. Augustus early in his reign had acknowledged and recognised Polemon as a Roman Client King and the Client Kingdoms he ruled. Augustus awarded Polemon with an ivory sceptre; an embroidered triumphal robe and he greeted Polemon as king, ally and friend. This recognition was a tradition, which recognises and awards the allies to Rome.

As King of the Bosporan, he extended the Kingdom as far to the river Tanais. Polemon reigned as a long and prosperous king. In 8 BC, Polemon engaged in a military campaign against the Aspurgiani, a nomad tribe that lived above the mountains of Phanagoria. Polemon was defeated by them, taken as their prisoner and was put to death.

Marriage and succession

In 16 BC the Roman statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, had intervened with the monarchy of the Bosporan Kingdom. Agrippa had discovered, a usurper called Scribonius had pretended be to a relative of the ruling Queen Dynamis, widow of King Asander. Scribonius wanted to marry Dynamis, so he could rule the Bosporan, however Agrippa discovered his treachery and ordered his death. After Scribonius’ death, Agrippa asked Polemon to take Scribonius’ place.

After Polemon married Dynamis in 16 BC he left Iconium to rule the Bosporan Kingdom. Through Dynamis Polemon became stepfather to Tiberius Julius Aspurgus, her son from her first marriage. When Dynamis died in 14 BC Polemon became the sole ruler of the Bosporan.

Later in 14 BC, Polemon married Pythodorida of Pontus as his second wife. She was a noblewoman who was half Anatolian Greek and Roman, and was the first grandchild of Antony. Pythodorida bore Polemon two sons and one daughter:

Zenon, also known as Zeno-Artaxias or Artaxias III, who became King of Armenia in 18 and reigned until his death in 35
Marcus Antonius Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon II of Pontus
Antonia Tryphaena who married Cotys VIII King of Thrace

After Polemon's death, Aspurgus succeeded Polemon as King of the Bosporan, while Pythodorida, ruled as the sole ruler of Cilicia, Pontus and Colchis.

References

↑ Dimitriev 2003

Sources

External links

Greek Wikisource has original text related to this article: Πολέμων Πυθόδωρος
Coinage of Polemon I

Hellenistic rulers

Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV

Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)

Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus

Lysimachids	Lysimachus

Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes

Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III

Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I

Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III

Kings of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus

Kings of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II

Kings of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV

Kings of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus

Kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius’ attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon with Pythodorida Aspurgus Mithridates III with Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 29921028 GND: 102403678

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