Isias
Encyclopedia
Isias, surnamed Philostorgos or Philostorgus (Greek
: η Ισίας Φιλόστοργος, meaning Isias the loving one) was a Princess of Cappadocia
who lived in the 1st century BC. Through her marriage to King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene
, she became the Queen of Commagene. Very little is known on her. She was half Persian
and half Greek
. Isias was the daughter of King Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia and his wife Queen Athenais Philostorgos I
, while her brother was King Ariobarzanes II of Cappadocia.
Isias and Antiochus I had five children who were:
She appeared to have died of unknown causes sometime between the late 30s or early 20s BC. Isias was buried along with her daughter and her granddaughter on a burial site. This burial site was a monument known as the Karakush or Karakus Tumulus, also known as The Black Bird. The monument received its name because there is a column topped by an eagle, which has earned the mound name.
This burial sanctuary was constructed and built by her son King Mithridates II of Commagene
. Mithridates II built this sanctuary to bury and honour the lives and the memories of Isias, her daughter Antiochis and her granddaughter Aka I of Commagene
. It is located 12 km or 7.5 miles from Kahta
, Turkey
. Each tumulus is surrounded by groups of three Doric
Columns. Each column was about 9 metres or 29.5 feet high. It is topped with steles, reliefs and statues of a bull, lion and eagle.
This monument has Greek honorific inscriptions, which provides information about this site. It is inscribed on the external face of the two drums of the central column of the Northeast. Skipping a couple of phrases where restoration has been doubtful, the inscription reads:
Isias’ name also appears in another honorific inscription dedicated by Mithridates II at the tomb of her other daughter Laodice:
After the Kingdom of Commagene
was annexed in 72 by the Roman Emperor
Vespasian
, the vault of the tomb has been looted.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: η Ισίας Φιλόστοργος, meaning Isias the loving one) was a Princess of Cappadocia
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...
who lived in the 1st century BC. Through her marriage to King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene
Antiochus I Theos of Commagene
Antiochus I Theos Dikaios Epiphanes Philorhomaios Philhellenos Antiochus I Theos Dikaios Epiphanes Philorhomaios Philhellenos Antiochus I Theos Dikaios Epiphanes Philorhomaios Philhellenos (Greek: о Αντίοχος Θεός Δίκαιος Επιφανής Φιλορωμαίος Φιλέλλην, meaning Antiochos, a just, eminent god, friend...
, she became the Queen of Commagene. Very little is known on her. She was half Persian
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...
and half 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....
. Isias was the daughter of King Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia and his wife Queen Athenais Philostorgos I
Athenais Philostorgos I
Athenais Philostorgos I, her surname can be spelt as Philostorgus was a Queen of Cappadocia.Athenais was a Greek noblewoman of obscure origins. She was the wife of the Cappadocian Persian nobleman and King Ariobarzanes I Philoromaios and her through marriage became a Queen of Cappadocia...
, while her brother was King Ariobarzanes II of Cappadocia.
Isias and Antiochus I had five children who were:
- Son, Mithridates II of CommageneMithridates II of CommageneMithridates II Antiochus Epiphanes Philorhomaios Philhellenos Monocritis, also known as Mithridates II of Commagene was a man of Armenian and Greek descent who lived in the 1st century BC. He was a prince of Commagene and one of the sons of King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene and Queen Isias...
- who succeeded Antiochus I after his death in 38 BC - Daughter, LaodiceLaodice of ParthiaLaodice was a Princess from the Kingdom of Commagene who lived in the 1st century BC. She was of Greek and Armenian descent. Laodice was the first daughter born to King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene and Queen Isias Philostorgos of Commagene.Laodice married King Orodes II of Parthia. Through this...
, who married King Orodes II of ParthiaOrodes II of ParthiaOrodes II of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from 57 to 38 BC. Orodes was a son of Phraates III, whom he murdered in 57 BC, assisted by his brother Mithridates... - Son, Antiochus II of CommageneAntiochus II of CommageneAntiochus II Epiphanes, also known as Antiochus II of Commagene was a man of Armenian and Greek descent. Antiochus II was a prince from the Kingdom of Commagene and the second son of King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene and Queen Isias Philostorgos...
- Daughter, Antiochis of CommageneAntiochis of CommageneAntiochis of Commagene was a Princess from the Kingdom of Commagene, who lived in the 1st century BC. Antiochis was of Greek and Armenian descent....
- Unnamed Daughter, married to Artavasdes IArtavasdes I of Media AtropateneArtavasdes I was a king of Media Atropatene. As an enemy of Artavasdes II of Armenia and his son Artaxias II, Artavasdes I was mentioned in diplomatic affairs of Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Mark Anthony.- Biography :...
, King of AtropateneAtropateneAtropatene was an ancient kingdom established and ruled under local ethnic Iranian dynasts first with "Darius" of Persia and later "Alexander" of Macedonia, starting in the 4th century BC and includes the territory of modern-day Iranian Azarbaijan and Iranian Kurdistan. Its capital was Gazaca...
She appeared to have died of unknown causes sometime between the late 30s or early 20s BC. Isias was buried along with her daughter and her granddaughter on a burial site. This burial site was a monument known as the Karakush or Karakus Tumulus, also known as The Black Bird. The monument received its name because there is a column topped by an eagle, which has earned the mound name.
This burial sanctuary was constructed and built by her son King Mithridates II of Commagene
Mithridates II of Commagene
Mithridates II Antiochus Epiphanes Philorhomaios Philhellenos Monocritis, also known as Mithridates II of Commagene was a man of Armenian and Greek descent who lived in the 1st century BC. He was a prince of Commagene and one of the sons of King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene and Queen Isias...
. Mithridates II built this sanctuary to bury and honour the lives and the memories of Isias, her daughter Antiochis and her granddaughter Aka I of Commagene
Aka I of Commagene
Aka I of Commagene, also known as Aka I was a Princess from the Kingdom of Commagene, who lived in the 1st century BC. Aka I was of Greek and Armenian descent....
. It is located 12 km or 7.5 miles from Kahta
Kahta
Kâhta is a large district of Adıyaman Province of Turkey. Population 63,216 . The mayor is İbrahim Yusuf Turanlı .Kâhta is a small town in attractive countryside at the foot of Nemrut Dağı and has a thriving business providing food, accommodation and transport to people visiting the mountain...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Each tumulus is surrounded by groups of three Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
Columns. Each column was about 9 metres or 29.5 feet high. It is topped with steles, reliefs and statues of a bull, lion and eagle.
This monument has Greek honorific inscriptions, which provides information about this site. It is inscribed on the external face of the two drums of the central column of the Northeast. Skipping a couple of phrases where restoration has been doubtful, the inscription reads:
- This is the hierothesion [sacred site or foundation] of Isias, whom the great King Mithridates (she being his own mother)…deemed worthy of this final hour. And…Antiochis lies herein, the king’s sister by the same mother, the most beautiful of women, whose life was short but her honours long-enduring. Both of these, as you see, preside here, and with them a daughter’s daughter, the daughter of Antiochis, Aka. A memorial of life with each other and of the king’s honour.
Isias’ name also appears in another honorific inscription dedicated by Mithridates II at the tomb of her other daughter Laodice:
- The great King Mithridates, the son of the great king Antiochus and queen Isias, dedicated this image to the unfading memory of queen Laodice, the king’s sister and the wife of Orodes, the king of kings, and to her own honour.
After the Kingdom of Commagene
Kingdom of Commagene
The Kingdom of Commagene was an ancient kingdom of the Hellenistic Age.Little is known of the region of Commagene prior to the beginning of the 2nd century BC. However, it seems that, from what little evidence remains, Commagene formed part of a larger state that also included Sophene...
was annexed in 72 by 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...
Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
, the vault of the tomb has been looted.
Sources
- http://www.guide-martine.com/southeastern3.asp
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0412.html
- Campbell-Scott, Roger. "Nimrud Dagh - A Sacred Mountain in Anatolia", in Vanished Civilizations: The Hidden Secrets of Lost Cities and Forgotten Peoples, pp. 194–197. Reader’s Digest Services P/L, Hong Kong, 1988. ISBN 0276426584.
- http://books.google.com.au/books?id=SIYTfTYrs1UC&pg=PA297&lpg=PA297&dq=Aka+of+Commagene&source=web&ots=VOqFRP94xL&sig=qC3IYm3d3U9qU-RFlxksuzH3fr0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result