Eunice (Bosporan queen)
Encyclopedia
Eunice was the wife of the Roman Client King
, Cotys I
and through her marriage was a Roman Client Queen of the Bosporan Kingdom
.
Eunice was a Greek noblewoman
of obscure origins. At an unknown date in the reign of Cotys I, 45-63, he married Eunice as his Queen. Cotys I was a monarch of Greek
, Iranian
and Roman ancestry
. He was the second son born to the Bosporan Roman Client Monarchs Aspurgus
and Gepaepyris
, while his eldest brother was the former Bosporan King Mithridates
.
Eunice bore Cotys I, a son and his successor Rhescuporis I
. The name Rhescuporis, is a name of Thracian
origin and is a name that appears in the family of her mother-in-law.
She is not mentioned in ancient Roman historical sources. Eunice is only known through surviving inscriptions and numismatic evidence. In the year 1910, a Greek inscription was found on a marble plate in the wall of a house in Anapa
, Russia
. Anapa was the ancient Greek city of Gorgippia. In the upper left corner of the marble plate appeared the below inscription. This inscription is dated from the reign of her son Rhescuporis I (68-90) (Corpus Regni Inscriptionum Bospor CIRB 1118):
Eunice’s name has also appear in surviving bronze coinage
from the Bosporan Kingdom. On coins on one side appears the Greek legend, KA-ΠE appears with a temple with five steps. On the other side of coins, appears with an enclosing wreath with the Greek abbreviations BAK, BAEY, BAEIY and with the trade denomination KΔ. KA-ΠE can be read as KAΠE[τολιών]. BAK is the royal abbreviations of Cotys I in Greek: BA[σιλεύς] K[ότυος], of King Cotys, while BAEY and BAEIY are the royal abbreviations for Eunice in Greek: BA[σιλεία] E[ὐνείκη], of Queen Eunice. No other coins from the Bosporan bear these abbreviations. These coins can be dated from the reigns of Coyts I and Rhescuporis I.
These coins reveal the political situation of the Bosporan Kingdom in the mid-1st century. In 63 for unknown reasons, the Roman Emperor
Nero
disposed Cotys I from his throne and his fate afterwards is unknown. The Bosporan Kingdom was incorporated as a part of the Roman Province of Moesia
Inferior from 63-68. Perhaps Nero wanted to minimise the role, power and influence of local client rulers and desired the Bosporan to be completely governed by the Roman state.
In June 68, Nero had died and Galba
succeeded as Roman Emperor. The coinage clearly portrays the successful attempt of Rhescuporis I to restore the Bosporan Kingdom as a semi-independent Roman Client Kingdom. Cotys I had died by that time, Rhescuporis I had his throne and his kingdom restored to him.
The surviving coinage and inscriptions reveal clues about Eunice. Eunice appears to have been a religious monarch, who seems to be a woman of strong, virtuous character. She helped her son in restoration of the Bosporan Kingdom and acting as a regent at least in the first year of her son’s rule. Eunice proved to be a capable ruling monarch in the Bosporan flourishing again.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, Cotys I
Tiberius Julius Cotys I
Tiberius Julius Cotys I Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes, also known as Cotys I or Kotys I was a prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom....
and through her marriage was a Roman Client Queen of the Bosporan Kingdom
Bosporan Kingdom
The Bosporan Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus was an ancient state, located in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus...
.
Eunice was a Greek noblewoman
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....
of obscure origins. At an unknown date in the reign of Cotys I, 45-63, he married Eunice as his Queen. Cotys I 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....
, Iranian
Iranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
and Roman ancestry
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. He was the second son born to the Bosporan Roman Client Monarchs Aspurgus
Tiberius Julius Aspurgus
Tiberius Julius Aspurgus Philoromaios was a Prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom.The name Aspurgus is a name of Iranian origin. His name goes back to the Iranian words aspa and aspabara . Aspurgus was a monarch of Greek and Iranian ancestry.Aspurgus was the son born to the ruling...
and Gepaepyris
Gepaepyris
Gepaepyris was a Thracian Princess and a Roman Client Queen of the Bosporan Kingdom.Gepaepyris was the first daughter and was among the children of Roman Client Rulers of Thrace, Cotys VIII and Antonia Tryphaena...
, while his eldest brother was the former Bosporan King Mithridates
Tiberius Julius Mithridates
Tiberius Julius Mithridates Philogermanicus Philopatris, sometimes known as Mithridates III of the Bosporan was a Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom....
.
Eunice bore Cotys I, a son and his successor Rhescuporis I
Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis I
Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis I Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes, also known as Rhescuporis I was a prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom....
. The name Rhescuporis, is a name of Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
origin and is a name that appears in the family of her mother-in-law.
She is not mentioned in ancient Roman historical sources. Eunice is only known through surviving inscriptions and numismatic evidence. In the year 1910, a Greek inscription was found on a marble plate in the wall of a house in Anapa
Anapa
Anapa is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the northern coast of the Black Sea near the Sea of Azov. It was originally a seaport for the Natkhuay tribe of the Adyghe people. Population: The town boasts a number of sanatoria and hotels...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Anapa was the ancient Greek city of Gorgippia. In the upper left corner of the marble plate appeared the below inscription. This inscription is dated from the reign of her son Rhescuporis I (68-90) (Corpus Regni Inscriptionum Bospor CIRB 1118):
- [Τὸ]ν ἐκ προγόνων βα[σιλέων βασιλέα μέγαν]Τιβέριου Ίούλιου Ῥη[σκούποριν βασιλέως Κότυ]oς καὶ βασιλίσσης Eὐν[είκης]…
- The descendant of the Kings, great King Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis, son of King Cotys and of Queen Eunice
Eunice’s name has also appear in surviving bronze coinage
Roman currency
The Roman currency during most of the Roman Republic and the western half of the Roman Empire consisted of coins including the aureus , the denarius , the sestertius , the dupondius , and the as...
from the Bosporan Kingdom. On coins on one side appears the Greek legend, KA-ΠE appears with a temple with five steps. On the other side of coins, appears with an enclosing wreath with the Greek abbreviations BAK, BAEY, BAEIY and with the trade denomination KΔ. KA-ΠE can be read as KAΠE[τολιών]. BAK is the royal abbreviations of Cotys I in Greek: BA[σιλεύς] K[ότυος], of King Cotys, while BAEY and BAEIY are the royal abbreviations for Eunice in Greek: BA[σιλεία] E[ὐνείκη], of Queen Eunice. No other coins from the Bosporan bear these abbreviations. These coins can be dated from the reigns of Coyts I and Rhescuporis I.
These coins reveal the political situation of the Bosporan Kingdom in the mid-1st century. In 63 for unknown reasons, 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...
Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
disposed Cotys I from his throne and his fate afterwards is unknown. The Bosporan Kingdom was incorporated as a part of the Roman Province of Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
Inferior from 63-68. Perhaps Nero wanted to minimise the role, power and influence of local client rulers and desired the Bosporan to be completely governed by the Roman state.
In June 68, Nero had died and Galba
Galba
Galba , was Roman Emperor for seven months from 68 to 69. Galba was the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, and made a bid for the throne during the rebellion of Julius Vindex...
succeeded as Roman Emperor. The coinage clearly portrays the successful attempt of Rhescuporis I to restore the Bosporan Kingdom as a semi-independent Roman Client Kingdom. Cotys I had died by that time, Rhescuporis I had his throne and his kingdom restored to him.
The surviving coinage and inscriptions reveal clues about Eunice. Eunice appears to have been a religious monarch, who seems to be a woman of strong, virtuous character. She helped her son in restoration of the Bosporan Kingdom and acting as a regent at least in the first year of her son’s rule. Eunice proved to be a capable ruling monarch in the Bosporan flourishing again.
External links
Sources
- Krzysztof Jarzęcki, Kobiety na tronie bosporańskim
- http://www.american-pictures.com/genealogy/persons/per01399.htm
- http://www.beastcoins.com/BosporusKingdom/Bosporus-Kingdom.htm
- Bosporus: Roman control of ancient Crimea