Ptolemaeus of Commagene
Encyclopedia
Ptolemaeus was a man of Armenia
n descent who lived between the 3rd century BC and 2nd century BC, and became the first King of Commagene. He was of Orontid Armenian
descent, being related to the king of Sophene Arsames I
. His father was King Orontes IV of Armenia, son of Arsames I
.
Ptolemy was the last Satrap
(Governor) of the state of Commagene, a province in the Seleucid Empire
. He served under the Syria
n Greek
Kings Antiochus III the Great
, Seleucus IV Philopator
, Antiochus IV Epiphanes
and Antiochus V Eupator.
Ptolemy served as a Satrap of Commagene between 201 BC-163 BC. When the Seleucid Empire
began to disintegrate in 163 BC, Ptolemy decided to revolt and make Commagene an independent kingdom
. Ptolemy also declared Samosata
, which was the capital of Commagene, under Seleucid rule as the capital of the new kingdom.
Ptolemy was in fact a relative to the King Mithridates I of Parthia
and related to the Parthian King dynasty. According to fragments of inscribed reliefs found at Mount Nemrut
, archaeologists have discovered that Ptolemy was a descendant of Persian King Darius I of Persia
. Ptolemy died in 130 BC and his wife is unknown. His son and successor was Sames II Theosebes Dikaios
.
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n descent who lived between the 3rd century BC and 2nd century BC, and became the first King of Commagene. He was of Orontid Armenian
Orontid Dynasty
The Orontid Dynasty The Orontid Dynasty The Orontid Dynasty (also known by their native name, Yervanduni was a hereditary Armenian dynasty and the rulers of the successor state to the Iron Age kingdom of Ararat...
descent, being related to the king of Sophene Arsames I
Arsames I
Arsames I seems to have taken control of Commagene, Sophene and Armenia in the year 260 BC after the death of his grandfather Orontes III, king of Armenia, and his father Sames, king of Commagene....
. His father was King Orontes IV of Armenia, son of Arsames I
Arsames I
Arsames I seems to have taken control of Commagene, Sophene and Armenia in the year 260 BC after the death of his grandfather Orontes III, king of Armenia, and his father Sames, king of Commagene....
.
Ptolemy was the last Satrap
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
(Governor) of the state of Commagene, a province in the Seleucid Empire
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...
. He served under the Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n 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....
Kings 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...
, 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...
, 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 Antiochus V Eupator.
Ptolemy served as a Satrap of Commagene between 201 BC-163 BC. When the Seleucid Empire
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...
began to disintegrate in 163 BC, Ptolemy decided to revolt and make Commagene an independent kingdom
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...
. Ptolemy also declared Samosata
Samosata
Samosata was an ancient city on the right bank of the Euphrates whose ruins existed at the modern city of Samsat, Adıyaman Province, Turkey until the site was flooded by the newly-constructed Atatürk Dam....
, which was the capital of Commagene, under Seleucid rule as the capital of the new kingdom.
Ptolemy was in fact a relative to the King Mithridates I of Parthia
Mithridates I of Parthia
Mithridates or Mithradates I was the "Great King" of Parthia from ca. 171 BC - 138 BC, succeeding his brother Phraates I. His father was King Phriapatius of Parthia, who died ca. 176 BC). Mithridates I made Parthia into a major political power by expanding the empire to the east, south, and west...
and related to the Parthian King dynasty. According to fragments of inscribed reliefs found at Mount Nemrut
Mount Nemrut
Nemrut or Nemrud is a high mountain in southeastern Turkey, notable for the summit where a number of large statues is erected around what is assumed to be a royal tomb from the 1st century BCE.-Location and description:...
, archaeologists have discovered that Ptolemy was a descendant of Persian King Darius I of Persia
Darius I of Persia
Darius I , also known as Darius the Great, was the third king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire...
. Ptolemy died in 130 BC and his wife is unknown. His son and successor was Sames II Theosebes Dikaios
Sames II Theosebes Dikaios
Sames or Samos II Theosebes Dikaios was the second king of Commagene. Of Armenian descent, he was the son and successor of Ptolemaeus of Commagene....
.