Nysa (wife of Pharnaces I of Pontus)
Encyclopedia
Nysa or Nyssa was a Greek Seleucid Princess
and a Queen of the Kingdom of Pontus
.
Nysa was of Greek Macedonian
and Persian descent
. She was the child born to the Seleucid Prince Antiochus
and Seleucid Queen Laodice IV
. Her parents were blooded siblings and her parent’s marriage was the first sibling marriage to occur in the Seleucid dynasty. The grandparents of Nysa was the Seleucid King Antiochus III the Great
and Seleucid Queen Laodice III
. Her father crown prince Antiochus, was appointed by her grandfather to succeed him and was his first heir.
Nysa was born and raised in the Seleucid Empire and she was born between 196 BC-193 BC. In 193 BC, her father had died. Her family were in complete grief of his death, in particular Antiochus III. Laodice IV, later had married her brothers Seleucus IV Philopator
and Antiochus IV Epiphanes
, who were the uncles and stepfathers of Nysa. Through her mother’s marriages, she had various half brothers and sisters. In the year 172 BC or 171 BC, through the diplomatic work of her maternal half-brother Seleucid King Demetrius I Soter
, Nysa married the King Pharnaces I of Pontus
.
Through marriage Nysa became a Queen of Pontus. The marriage that occurred between Pharnaces and Nysa was a continuation and the strengthening of the pro-Seleucid orientation in foreign policy of Pontus. Through his marriage to Nysa, Pharnaces tried to increase his political influence and Pontian power and affairs in foreign political relations with the Roman Republic
and in Anatolia
. Nysa and Pharnaces were related as he was a first cousin to Nysa’s parents, thus Pharnaces was related to the Seleucid dynasty. Little is known on Nysa’s relationship with Pharnaces and how she reigned as Queen of Pontus.
Honorific statues and inscriptions have survived that were dedicated to Nysa. Pharnaces set about to establish good relations with the citizens of Athens
and the Greek island of Delos
. Pharnaces made a benefaction to the people of Athens. The exact nature of the benefaction is unknown, perhaps Pharnaces may have made some kind of voluntary donation to Athens, perhaps soon after 183 BC. A lengthy honorific inscription from the Athenians on Delos honors Pharnaces and Nysa. Pharnaces and Nysa received a crown of gold from them and bronze statues of themselves were set up on Delos. Their lengthy Athenian honorific inscription, is dated in the Archonship of the Athenian Tychandrus or Tychander which is now generally accepted as 160 BC or 159 BC.
Nysa bore Pharnaces two children: a son called Mithridates V of Pontus
and a daughter called Nysa of Cappadocia, who is also known as Laodice
. Although she died at an unknown date in the 2nd century BC, she is believed to have died during childbirth.
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 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...
.
Nysa was of Greek Macedonian
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
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...
. She was the child born to the Seleucid Prince Antiochus
Antiochus (son of Antiochus III the Great)
Antiochus was a Greek Seleucid Prince, first born child to the Seleucid Monarchs Antiochus III the Great and Laodice III and his father’s first heir....
and Seleucid Queen Laodice IV
Laodice IV
Laodice IV was a Greek Princess, Head Priestess and Queen of the Seleucid Empire.-Ancestry, Family & Early Life:...
. Her parents were blooded siblings and her parent’s marriage was the first sibling marriage to occur in the Seleucid dynasty. The grandparents of Nysa was the Seleucid King 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 Seleucid Queen 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....
. Her father crown prince Antiochus, was appointed by her grandfather to succeed him and was his first heir.
Nysa was born and raised in the Seleucid Empire and she was born between 196 BC-193 BC. In 193 BC, her father had died. Her family were in complete grief of his death, in particular Antiochus III. Laodice IV, later had married her brothers Seleucus IV Philopator
Seleucus IV Philopator
Seleucus IV Philopator , ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, reigned from 187 BC to 175 BC over a realm consisting of Syria , Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Nearer Iran . He was the second son and successor of Antiochus III the Great and Laodice III...
and 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....
, who were the uncles and stepfathers of Nysa. Through her mother’s marriages, she had various half brothers and sisters. In the year 172 BC or 171 BC, through the diplomatic work of her maternal half-brother Seleucid King Demetrius I Soter
Demetrius I Soter
Demetrius I , surnamed Soter , was a ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire....
, Nysa married the King Pharnaces I of Pontus
Pharnaces I of Pontus
Pharnaces I , fifth king of Pontus and was of Persian and Greek Macedonian ancestry. He was the son of King Mithridates III of Pontus and his wife Laodice, whom he succeeded on the throne. Pharnaces had two siblings: a brother called Mithridates IV of Pontus and a sister called Laodice who...
.
Through marriage Nysa became a Queen of Pontus. The marriage that occurred between Pharnaces and Nysa was a continuation and the strengthening of the pro-Seleucid orientation in foreign policy of Pontus. Through his marriage to Nysa, Pharnaces tried to increase his political influence and Pontian power and affairs in foreign political relations with 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 in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. Nysa and Pharnaces were related as he was a first cousin to Nysa’s parents, thus Pharnaces was related to the Seleucid dynasty. Little is known on Nysa’s relationship with Pharnaces and how she reigned as Queen of Pontus.
Honorific statues and inscriptions have survived that were dedicated to Nysa. Pharnaces set about to establish good relations with the citizens of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and the Greek island of Delos
Delos
The island of Delos , isolated in the centre of the roughly circular ring of islands called the Cyclades, near Mykonos, is one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece...
. Pharnaces made a benefaction to the people of Athens. The exact nature of the benefaction is unknown, perhaps Pharnaces may have made some kind of voluntary donation to Athens, perhaps soon after 183 BC. A lengthy honorific inscription from the Athenians on Delos honors Pharnaces and Nysa. Pharnaces and Nysa received a crown of gold from them and bronze statues of themselves were set up on Delos. Their lengthy Athenian honorific inscription, is dated in the Archonship of the Athenian Tychandrus or Tychander which is now generally accepted as 160 BC or 159 BC.
Nysa bore Pharnaces two children: a son called 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...
and a daughter called Nysa of Cappadocia, who is also known as Laodice
Laodice
-Greek mythology:* Laodice , daughter of Priam, king of Troy* Laodice, daughter of Agamemnon, a.k.a. Electra* Laodice, one of the Hyperborean maidens* Laodice, consort of Phoroneus...
. Although she died at an unknown date in the 2nd century BC, she is believed to have died during childbirth.
Sources
- B.C. McGing, The foreign policy of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, BRILL, 1986
- J.D. Grainger, A Seleukid prosopography and gazetteer, BRILL, 1997