Cleon of Gordiucome
Encyclopedia
Cleon of Gordiucome or Cleon the Mysia
n, was a 1st century BC brigand-king in Asia Minor
.
Cleon made a reputation for himself with robbery and marauding warfare in and around Olmypus
, long occupying the fortress called by ancient geographers Callydium (Strabo
) or Calydnium (Eustathius
). He at first courted the favor of Mark Antony
, and was awarded a good deal of land in exchange. In 40 BC
Cleon's forces harried an invading body of Parthia
ns led by Labienus.
Around the time of the Battle of Actium
in 31 BC
, Cleon switched sides to that of Augustus
. In exchange for services rendered in the wars against Mark Antony
, Augustus appointed Cleon the priest of the goddess Bellona
in the temple-state of Comana
and sovereign, therefore, of the surrounding country. Cleon added what he had been given by Augustus to what he had received from Mark Antony and styled himself a dynast. Under Augustus
he also founded the city of Juliopolis
out of the town of his birth, Gordiucome. Strabo
mentions that Cleon was a priest of Jupiter Abrettenus
, and ruler of Morene, a region of Mysia
noticed by no other writer.
Cleon's rule was unsuccessful and exceedingly brief; he died only one month after his appointment. In contemporary accounts, it was written that Cleon died because he ignored a taboo against eating pork in the temple precinct of Bellona
.
It is sometimes recorded that Cleon succeeded Lycomedes
as ruler of Comana
after the very brief reign of Medeius. Strabo
suggests that Medeius and Cleon are different names for the same person, the former being the Greek name, the latter the native one. Cleon was in any case succeeded by Dyteutus
.
Mysia
Mysia was a region in the northwest of ancient Asia Minor or Anatolia . It was located on the south coast of the Sea of Marmara. It was bounded by Bithynia on the east, Phrygia on the southeast, Lydia on the south, Aeolis on the southwest, Troad on the west and by the Propontis on the north...
n, was a 1st century BC brigand-king in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
.
Cleon made a reputation for himself with robbery and marauding warfare in and around Olmypus
Uludag
Uludağ , the ancient Mysian Olympus, is a mountain in Bursa Province, Turkey, with an altitude of . It is a popular center for winter sports such as skiing, and a national park of rich flora and fauna...
, long occupying the fortress called by ancient geographers Callydium (Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
) or Calydnium (Eustathius
Eustathius
Eustathius or Eustathios may refer to:* Eustathius of Antioch, Patriarch of Antioch * Eustathius of Sebaste * Eustathius of Cappadocia Neoplatonist, orator, and diplomat...
). He at first courted the favor of Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
, and was awarded a good deal of land in exchange. In 40 BC
40 BC
Year 40 BC was either a common year starting on Thursday, Friday or Saturday or a leap year starting on Thursday or Friday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Friday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
Cleon's forces harried an invading body of Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
ns led by Labienus.
Around the time of the Battle of Actium
Battle of Actium
The Battle of Actium was the decisive confrontation of the Final War of the Roman Republic. It was fought between the forces of Octavian and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC, on the Ionian Sea near the city of Actium, at the Roman...
in 31 BC
31 BC
Year 31 BC was either a common year starting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday or a leap year starting on Tuesday or Wednesday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
, Cleon switched sides to that of 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 exchange for services rendered in the wars against Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
, Augustus appointed Cleon the priest of the goddess Bellona
Bellona
-Places:United States of America*Bellona Foundry and adjacent Bellona Arsenal, 19th century United States Army and Confederate munitions factory and depot in VirginiaItaly*Bellona, Campania, a comune in the Province of CasertaSolomon Islands...
in the temple-state of Comana
Comana, Cappadocia
Comana was a city of Cappadocia and later Cataonia . The Hittite toponym Kummanni is considered likely to refer to Comana, but the identification is not considered proven. Its ruins are at the modern Turkish village of Şar, Tufanbeyli district, Adana Province.-History:According to ancient...
and sovereign, therefore, of the surrounding country. Cleon added what he had been given by Augustus to what he had received from Mark Antony and styled himself a dynast. Under 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...
he also founded the city of Juliopolis
Juliopolis (titular see)
Juliopolis is a Catholic titular see in the province of Bithynia Secunda, suffragan of Nicaea. Its history is unclear.-History:The city was founded under the Emperor Augustus by a robber chieftain named Cleon, who was a native of the region; previously it had been called Gordoucome or...
out of the town of his birth, Gordiucome. Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
mentions that Cleon was a priest of Jupiter Abrettenus
Jupiter (mythology)
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove is the king of the gods, and the god of the sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon....
, and ruler of Morene, a region of Mysia
Mysia
Mysia was a region in the northwest of ancient Asia Minor or Anatolia . It was located on the south coast of the Sea of Marmara. It was bounded by Bithynia on the east, Phrygia on the southeast, Lydia on the south, Aeolis on the southwest, Troad on the west and by the Propontis on the north...
noticed by no other writer.
Cleon's rule was unsuccessful and exceedingly brief; he died only one month after his appointment. In contemporary accounts, it was written that Cleon died because he ignored a taboo against eating pork in the temple precinct of Bellona
Bellona
-Places:United States of America*Bellona Foundry and adjacent Bellona Arsenal, 19th century United States Army and Confederate munitions factory and depot in VirginiaItaly*Bellona, Campania, a comune in the Province of CasertaSolomon Islands...
.
It is sometimes recorded that Cleon succeeded Lycomedes
Lycomedes of Comana
Lycomedes of Comana was a Bithynian nobleman of Cappadocian Greek descent who ruled Comana, Cappadocia in the second half of the 1st century BC. In 47 BC Lycomedes was probably about 50 years old, when he was named by Roman Dictator Gaius Julius Caesar the priest of the goddess Bellona in the...
as ruler of Comana
Comana, Cappadocia
Comana was a city of Cappadocia and later Cataonia . The Hittite toponym Kummanni is considered likely to refer to Comana, but the identification is not considered proven. Its ruins are at the modern Turkish village of Şar, Tufanbeyli district, Adana Province.-History:According to ancient...
after the very brief reign of Medeius. Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
suggests that Medeius and Cleon are different names for the same person, the former being the Greek name, the latter the native one. Cleon was in any case succeeded by Dyteutus
Dyteutus
Dyteutus , eldest son of the Galatian ruler Adiatorix, was a ruler of Comana. After the father and his eldest son were sentenced to death by Octavianus for the father's partisanship towards Mark Antony, Dyteutus's younger brother asked to die in his brother's place, claiming that he was in fact...
.