Laodice VI
Encyclopedia
Laodice VI was a Greek Seleucid Princess
and through marriage was a Queen of the Kingdom of Pontus
.
Laodice was the daughter born from the full blooded sibling union of the Seleucid Monarchs Antiochus IV Epiphanes
and Laodice IV
. Her grandparents were the Seleucid Monarchs Antiochus III the Great
and Laodice III
. Through her mother’s previous marriages, she had various maternal half-brothers and sisters and two full blooded brothers who served as Seleucid Kings Antiochus V
Eupator and Alexander Balas
. In 152 BC, Laodice became one of the supporters for her brother Alexander Balas, who revolted and overthrew the Seleucid King Demetrius I Soter
, who was their maternal half-brother/cousin.
After 152 BC, Laodice married King Mithridates V of Pontus
, who reigned from 150 BC–120 BC. Little is known regarding her relationship with her husband or her reign as Pontian Queen. During their marriage, Laodice bore Mithridates V seven children: Laodice of Cappadocia
, Mithridates VI of Pontus
, Mithridates Chrestus
, Laodice
, Nysa
(sometimes spelt as Nyssa), Roxana and Statira. Nysa, Roxana and Statira were put to death after the fall of the Kingdom of Pontus in 63 BC.
Mithridates V was assassinated in about 120 BC in Sinope
poisoned by unknown persons at a lavish banquet which he held. In the will of Mithridates V, he left the Kingdom to the joint rule of Laodice, Mithridates VI and Mithridates Chrestus. Both of her sons were underage to rule and Laodice retained all power as regent.
Laodice in her regency favored her second son over her first son. During her regency 120 BC-116 BC (even perhaps up to 113 BC), Mithridates VI escaped from the plotting of his mother and had gone into hiding. She enjoyed luxuries that made her a compliant client of Rome
. She accepted bribes from the Roman Republic
and her extravagance pushed Pontus into debt.
Mithridates VI between 116 BC-113 BC returned to Pontus from hiding and was hailed King. He was able to remove his mother and his brother from the Pontian throne, thus Mithridates VI became the sole ruler of Pontus. Mithridates VI show clemency towards his mother and brother, by imprisoning them both. Laodice VI died in prison of natural causes, however his brother Mithridates Chrestus could have died in prison from natural causes or was tried for treason and was executed on the orders of his brother. When they died, Mithridates VI gave his mother and brother, a royal funeral.
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
and through marriage was a Queen of the Kingdom of Pontus
Kingdom of Pontus
The Kingdom of Pontus or Pontic Empire was a state of Persian origin on the southern coast of the Black Sea. It was founded by Mithridates I in 291 BC and lasted until its conquest by the Roman Republic in 63 BC...
.
Laodice was the daughter born from the full blooded sibling union of the Seleucid Monarchs Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne....
and Laodice IV
Laodice IV
Laodice IV was a Greek Princess, Head Priestess and Queen of the Seleucid Empire.-Ancestry, Family & Early Life:...
. Her grandparents were the Seleucid Monarchs Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great Seleucid Greek king who became the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. Antiochus was an ambitious ruler who ruled over Greater Syria and western Asia towards the end of the 3rd century BC...
and Laodice III
Laodice III
Laodice III , was a Princess of Pontus and a daughter born to King Mithridates II of Pontus and his wife Laodice. Her sister was Laodice of Pontus and her brother was Mithridates III of Pontus....
. Through her mother’s previous marriages, she had various maternal half-brothers and sisters and two full blooded brothers who served as Seleucid Kings Antiochus V
Antiochus V
Antiochus V Eupator , was a ruler of the Greek Seleucid Empire who reigned 163-161 BC, ....
Eupator and Alexander Balas
Alexander Balas
Alexander Balas , ruler of the Greek Seleucid kingdom 150-146 BC, was a native of Smyrna of humble origin, but gave himself out to be the son of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Laodice IV and heir to the Seleucid throne...
. In 152 BC, Laodice became one of the supporters for her brother Alexander Balas, who revolted and overthrew the Seleucid King Demetrius I Soter
Demetrius I Soter
Demetrius I , surnamed Soter , was a ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire....
, who was their maternal half-brother/cousin.
After 152 BC, Laodice married King Mithridates V of Pontus
Mithridates V of Pontus
Mithridates V Euergetes ; also known as Mithridates V of Pontus, Mithradates V of Pontus and Mithradates V Euergetes, was a Prince and seventh King of the wealthy Kingdom of Pontus.Mithridates V was of Greek Macedonian and Persian ancestry...
, who reigned from 150 BC–120 BC. Little is known regarding her relationship with her husband or her reign as Pontian Queen. During their marriage, Laodice bore Mithridates V seven children: Laodice of Cappadocia
Laodice of Cappadocia
Laodice of Cappadocia, also known as Laodice was a Princess from the Kingdom of Pontus.Laodice was a monarch of Persian and Greek Macedonian ancestry. She was the daughter; first born child of the Pontian Monarchs Laodice VI and Mithridates V Euergetes who reigned 150-120 BC. Among her siblings,...
, 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...
, Mithridates Chrestus
Mithridates Chrestus
Mithridates Chrestus was a Prince and co-ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus....
, 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...
, Nysa
Nysa
- People :*Nysa , daughter of Laodice IV and Antiochus, wife of Pharnaces I of Pontus* Nysa of Cappadocia, daughter of Pharnaces I of Pontus and Nysa, wife of Ariarathes V of Cappadocia and mother Ariarathes VI of Cappadocia...
(sometimes spelt as Nyssa), Roxana and Statira. Nysa, Roxana and Statira were put to death after the fall of the Kingdom of Pontus in 63 BC.
Mithridates V was assassinated in about 120 BC in Sinope
Sinop, Turkey
Sinop is a city with a population of 36,734 on İnce Burun , by its Cape Sinop which is situated on the most northern edge of the Turkish side of Black Sea coast, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia, in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope...
poisoned by unknown persons at a lavish banquet which he held. In the will of Mithridates V, he left the Kingdom to the joint rule of Laodice, Mithridates VI and Mithridates Chrestus. Both of her sons were underage to rule and Laodice retained all power as regent.
Laodice in her regency favored her second son over her first son. During her regency 120 BC-116 BC (even perhaps up to 113 BC), Mithridates VI escaped from the plotting of his mother and had gone into hiding. She enjoyed luxuries that made her a compliant client of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. She accepted bribes from the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
and her extravagance pushed Pontus into debt.
Mithridates VI between 116 BC-113 BC returned to Pontus from hiding and was hailed King. He was able to remove his mother and his brother from the Pontian throne, thus Mithridates VI became the sole ruler of Pontus. Mithridates VI show clemency towards his mother and brother, by imprisoning them both. Laodice VI died in prison of natural causes, however his brother Mithridates Chrestus could have died in prison from natural causes or was tried for treason and was executed on the orders of his brother. When they died, Mithridates VI gave his mother and brother, a royal funeral.
Sources
- Walbank, W. The Cambridge ancient history: The hellenistic world, Volume 7 F. Cambridge University Press, 1984
- Mayor, A. The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy, Princeton University Press, 2009
- http://www.livius.org/la-ld/laodice/laodice_vi.html
- http://www.livius.org/la-ld/laodice/laodice_vi.html
- http://www.pontos.dk/publications/books/bss-9-files/bss-9-07-hojte-2