Archelaus of Cilicia
Encyclopedia
Archelaus was a Cappadocia
n Prince from Anatolia
and was as a Roman Client King of Cilicia Trachea
and Eastern Lycaonia
. He is sometimes known as Archelaus Minor (Minor Latin for the younger) and Archelaus II to distinguished him from his father Archelaus of Cappadocia
.
Archelaus was a Monarch of Greek
, Armenian
and Persian descent
. He was fifth and final Archelaus to be named after the first Archelaus
(his paternal great-great grandfather), who was a General of King Mithridates VI of Pontus
. He was the son and heir of the Roman Client King Archelaus of Cappadocia
from his first marriage to an unnamed Princess from Armenia and his sister was the Cappadocian Princess Glaphyra
. There is a possibility that his parents may have been distantly related. His father is descended from Mithridates VI. His mother may have been a daughter of King Artavasdes II of Armenia
(reigned 53 BC-34 BC) of the Artaxiad Dynasty
. The father of Artavasdes II was Tigranes the Great
, who married Cleopatra of Pontus
a daughter of Mithridates VI from his first wife, his sister Laodice
, thus Artavasdes II was a maternal grandson to Mithridates VI and Laodice. Archelaus was the maternal uncle of Glaphyra’s children: Tigranes
, Alexander
and her unnamed daughter.
Little is known on Archelaus’ life prior to becoming King. He was born and raised on the mainland and spent his later life at the harbor city of Elaiussa Sebaste
. The Roman Emperor
Augustus
in 25 BC gave his father extra territories to govern and among them included Elaiussa Sebaste. After 25 BC, Archelaus and his family settled there, where his father developed the city. His father built a royal residence, built a palace on the island in the harbor and he renamed the city in honor of Augustus.
In 17 the father of Archelaus had died. Cappadocia had become a Roman province
and Armenia Minor
was given to Artaxias III
to rule as Roman Client King. The Romans had given Archelaus to rule as Roman Client King other former territories of his father’s which were Cilicia Trachea
including the maritime possessions of that region , Derbe
, Laranda
and all the surrounding region to Eastern Lycaonia
. Archelaus was also given a small region in Cilicia called Cetis to rule which he had possessed.
Historical sources mention little on the life of Archelaus and his reign as King. What is mainly known about Archelaus is from surviving inscriptions from his dominion. In 36, a Cappadocian tribe called the Cietae, who were subjects to Archelaus resisted against the monarch because of compulsion to supply property returns and taxes in Roman fashion. The tribe withdrew to the heights of the Taurus Mountains
aided by the local natural environment, where they held out against Archelaus’ unwarlike troops. For Archelaus to end the rebellion, Imperial Governor of Syria
Lucius Vitellius the Elder, commanded by Marcus Trebellius sent four thousand legionaries from the army of Syria, along with auxiliary troops were dispatched against the tribe. When the Roman legionaries arrived to the Taurus Mountains, they constructed earthworks round two hills held by the captives one called Cadra and other called Davara. After the Romans, starting killing some who attempted to break out, Trebellius forced the rest of the tribe to surrender.
In 38, Archelaus had died leaving no heir to his throne. Later the year, the monarch Antiochus IV of Commagene
was restored to his ancestral dominion as Roman Client King. Roman Emperor Caligula
also gave Archelaus’ ruling territories to Antiochus IV to rule as a part of his dominion. When Antiochus IV and his sister-wife Iotapa
, became Roman Client Monarchs over their dominions, Iotapa bore Antiochus IV their first child, a son. As a posthumous honor to Archelaus; as a mark of respect to the former King and their distant relative, Iotapa and Antiochus IV named their son: Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes
.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
n Prince from Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
and was as a Roman Client King of Cilicia Trachea
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
and Eastern Lycaonia
Lycaonia
In ancient geography, Lycaonia was a large region in the interior of Asia Minor, north of Mount Taurus. It was bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the north by Galatia, on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia, while to the south it extended to the chain of Mount Taurus, where it bordered on the...
. He is sometimes known as Archelaus Minor (Minor Latin for the younger) and Archelaus II to distinguished him from his father Archelaus of Cappadocia
Archelaus of Cappadocia
-Family & Early Life:Archelaus was a Cappadocian Greek nobleman, possibly of Macedonian descent. His full name was Archelaus Sisines. He was the first born son, namesake of the Roman Client and High Priest Ruler Archelaus, of the temple state of Comana, Cappadocia and Glaphyra. Archelaus’ father...
.
Archelaus was a Monarch of Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
and Persian descent
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
. He was fifth and final Archelaus to be named after the first Archelaus
Archelaus (general)
Archelaus was a leading military general of the King Mithridates VI of Pontus. Archelaus was the greatest general that had served under Mithridates VI and was also his favorite general....
(his paternal great-great grandfather), who was a General of King Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
. He was the son and heir of the Roman Client King Archelaus of Cappadocia
Archelaus of Cappadocia
-Family & Early Life:Archelaus was a Cappadocian Greek nobleman, possibly of Macedonian descent. His full name was Archelaus Sisines. He was the first born son, namesake of the Roman Client and High Priest Ruler Archelaus, of the temple state of Comana, Cappadocia and Glaphyra. Archelaus’ father...
from his first marriage to an unnamed Princess from Armenia and his sister was the Cappadocian Princess Glaphyra
Glaphyra
Glaphyra was an Anatolian Princess from Cappadocia and through marriage was related to the Herodian Dynasty. -Family and early life:Glaphyra was a royal princess of Greek, Armenian and Persian descent. Her father was the Roman ally king Archelaus of Cappadocia, her only natural sibling was her...
. There is a possibility that his parents may have been distantly related. His father is descended from Mithridates VI. His mother may have been a daughter of King Artavasdes II of Armenia
Artavasdes II of Armenia
King Artavasdes II ruled Armenia from 53 to 34 BC. He succeeded his father, Tigranes the Great. Artavasdes was an ally of Rome, but when Orodes II of Parthia invaded Armenia following his victory over the Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC, he was forced to...
(reigned 53 BC-34 BC) of the Artaxiad Dynasty
Artaxiad Dynasty
The Artaxiad Dynasty or Ardaxiad Dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until their overthrow by the Romans in AD 12. Their realm included Greater Armenia, Sophene and intermittently Lesser Armenia and parts of Mesopotamia...
. The father of Artavasdes II was Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great
Tigranes the Great was emperor of Armenia under whom the country became, for a short time, the strongest state east of the Roman Republic. He was a member of the Artaxiad Royal House...
, who married Cleopatra of Pontus
Cleopatra of Pontus
Cleopatra of Pontus was a Pontian Princess, who was one of the daughters of King Mithridates VI of Pontus and Queen Laodice. Cleopatra is sometimes known as Cleopatra the Elder, to distinguish her from her sister of the same name and was born and raised in the Kingdom of Pontus...
a daughter of Mithridates VI from his first wife, his sister Laodice
Laodice (sister-wife of Mithridates VI of Pontus)
Laodice was a beautiful Pontian Princess and Queen who was first wife and sister-wife to King Mithridates VI of Pontus.She was a monarch of Persian and Greek Macedonian ancestry...
, thus Artavasdes II was a maternal grandson to Mithridates VI and Laodice. Archelaus was the maternal uncle of Glaphyra’s children: Tigranes
Tigranes V of Armenia
Tigranes V, also known as Tigran V was a Herodian Prince and served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from the years 6 to 12.-Family & Life in the Herodian Court:...
, Alexander
Alexander (grandson of Herod the Great)
Alexander, also known by his Roman name Gaius Julius Alexander was a Herodian Prince.Alexander was the second born son of Alexander and Glaphyra. His oldest brother was called Tigranes and had a younger unnamed sister. His father Alexander was a Judean Prince, of Jewish, Nabataean and Edomite...
and her unnamed daughter.
Little is known on Archelaus’ life prior to becoming King. He was born and raised on the mainland and spent his later life at the harbor city of Elaiussa Sebaste
Elaiussa Sebaste
Elaiussa Sebaste or Elaeousa Sebaste was an ancient Roman town located from Mersin in the direction of Silifke in Cilicia on the southern coast of Anatolia . Elaiussa, meaning olive, was founded in the 2nd century B.C...
. The Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
in 25 BC gave his father extra territories to govern and among them included Elaiussa Sebaste. After 25 BC, Archelaus and his family settled there, where his father developed the city. His father built a royal residence, built a palace on the island in the harbor and he renamed the city in honor of Augustus.
In 17 the father of Archelaus had died. Cappadocia had become a Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
and Armenia Minor
Lesser Armenia
Lesser Armenia , also known as Armenia Minor and Armenia Inferior, refers to the Armenian populated regions, primarily to the West and North-West of the ancient Armenian Kingdom...
was given to Artaxias III
Artaxias III
Artaxias III, also known as Zeno-Artaxias, Artaxes or Artashes was a prince of the Bosporan, Pontus, Cilicia, Cappadocia and Roman Client King of Armenia....
to rule as Roman Client King. The Romans had given Archelaus to rule as Roman Client King other former territories of his father’s which were Cilicia Trachea
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
including the maritime possessions of that region , Derbe
Derbe
Derbe is an ancient city in today's Turkey. This city is mentioned in the biblical book of Acts - , and was situated near ancient Lystra.- Location :...
, Laranda
Karaman
Karaman is a town in south central Turkey, located north of the Taurus Mountains, about south of Konya. It is the capital district of the Karaman Province. According to 2000 census, the population of the province is 231 872 of which 132,064 live in the town of Karaman. The district covers an area...
and all the surrounding region to Eastern Lycaonia
Lycaonia
In ancient geography, Lycaonia was a large region in the interior of Asia Minor, north of Mount Taurus. It was bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the north by Galatia, on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia, while to the south it extended to the chain of Mount Taurus, where it bordered on the...
. Archelaus was also given a small region in Cilicia called Cetis to rule which he had possessed.
Historical sources mention little on the life of Archelaus and his reign as King. What is mainly known about Archelaus is from surviving inscriptions from his dominion. In 36, a Cappadocian tribe called the Cietae, who were subjects to Archelaus resisted against the monarch because of compulsion to supply property returns and taxes in Roman fashion. The tribe withdrew to the heights of the Taurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains
Taurus Mountains are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, dividing the Mediterranean coastal region of southern Turkey from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the east...
aided by the local natural environment, where they held out against Archelaus’ unwarlike troops. For Archelaus to end the rebellion, Imperial Governor of Syria
Syria (Roman province)
Syria was a Roman province, annexed in 64 BC by Pompey, as a consequence of his military presence after pursuing victory in the Third Mithridatic War. It remained under Roman, and subsequently Byzantine, rule for seven centuries, until 637 when it fell to the Islamic conquests.- Principate :The...
Lucius Vitellius the Elder, commanded by Marcus Trebellius sent four thousand legionaries from the army of Syria, along with auxiliary troops were dispatched against the tribe. When the Roman legionaries arrived to the Taurus Mountains, they constructed earthworks round two hills held by the captives one called Cadra and other called Davara. After the Romans, starting killing some who attempted to break out, Trebellius forced the rest of the tribe to surrender.
In 38, Archelaus had died leaving no heir to his throne. Later the year, the monarch Antiochus IV of Commagene
Antiochus IV of Commagene
Gaius Julius Antiochus IV Epiphanes , the last king of Commagene, reigned between 38-72 as a client king to the Roman Empire.-Life:Antiochus was a prince and son of Antiochus III of Commagene and his mother was Queen Iotapa of Commagene. The parents of Antiochus IV were full-blooded siblings, who...
was restored to his ancestral dominion as Roman Client King. Roman Emperor Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
also gave Archelaus’ ruling territories to Antiochus IV to rule as a part of his dominion. When Antiochus IV and his sister-wife Iotapa
Iotapa
Iotapa or Iotape also known as Iotapi was the name of various queens and princesses who lived in between the 2nd century BC, 1st century BC, 1st century and 2nd century. The name Iotapa or Iotape originally derives from the name Jotapa or Jotape, which was a name of Persian origin...
, became Roman Client Monarchs over their dominions, Iotapa bore Antiochus IV their first child, a son. As a posthumous honor to Archelaus; as a mark of respect to the former King and their distant relative, Iotapa and Antiochus IV named their son: Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes
Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes
Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes, also known as Julius Archelaus Epiphanes; Epiphanes; Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes or simply known as Gaius was an influential prince of the Kingdom of Commagene, who lived in the 1st century.Epiphanes was the first-born son and child to King...
.
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