Theophanes of Mytilene
Encyclopedia
Theophanes of Mytilene was an intellectual and historian from the town of Mytilene
on the island of Lesbos who lived in the middle of the 1st century BC. He was a friend of Pompey
and wrote a book about his expedition to Asia. According to Plutarch
Pompey granted freedoms to Mytilene for Theophanes' sake.
Theophanes was one of the most intimate friends of Pompey
, whom he accompanied in many of his campaigns, and who frequently followed his advice on public as well as private matters. He was not a freedman of Pompey, as some modern writers have supposed, but the Roman general appears to have made his acquaintance during the Mithridatic War, and soon became so much attached to him that he presented to the Greek Roman citizenship in the presence of his army, after a speech in which he eulogised his merits. This occurred in all probability about 62 BC, and Theophanes must now have taken the name of Pompeius after his patron. Such was his influence with Pompey that, in the course of the same year, he obtained for his native city the privileges of a free state
, although it had espoused the cause of Mithridates VI of Pontus
, and had given up the Roman general M'. Aquillius to Pontus.
Theophanes came to Rome with Pompey after the conclusion of his wars in the East. There he adopted, before he had any son, Lucius Cornelius Balbus, of Gades, a favourite of his patron. He continued to live with Pompey on the most intimate terms, and we see from Cicero
's letters that his society was courted by many of the Roman nobles, on account of his well-known influence with Pompey. On the breaking out of the civil war he accompanied Pompey to Greece, who appointed him commander of the Fabri, and chiefly consulted him and Lucceius on all important matters in the war, much to the indignation of the Roman nobles. After the Battle of Pharsalus
Theophanes fled with Pompey from Greece, and it was owing to his advice that Pompey went to Egypt. After the death of his friend and patron, Theophanes took refuge in Italy. He was pardoned by Julius Caesar
, and was still alive in 44 BC, as we see from one of Cicero's letters. After his death the Lesbians paid divine honours to his memory. Theophanes wrote the history of Pompey's campaigns, in which he represented the exploits of his hero in the most favourable light, and did not hesitate, as Plutarch more than hints, to invent a false tale for the purpose of injuring the reputation of an enemy of the Pompeian family.
Theophanes left behind him a son, M. Pompeius Theophanes, who was sent to Asia by Augustus, in the capacity of procurator
, and was at the time that Strabo
wrote one of the friends of Tiberius. The latter emperor, however, put his descendants to death towards the end of his reign, in AD 33, because their ancestor had been one of Pompey's friends, and had received after his death divine honours from the Lesbians.
The people of Mytilene commemorated Theophanes as a hero after his death and put his portrait on their bronze coins. From the likeness a marble portrait of the man has been identified as well as dozens of his images in relief on the bottom of special bowls perhaps made to celebrate his posthumous status. Excavations both in the castle of Mytilene and elsewhere in the town have uncovered a variety of them.
Mytilene
Mytilene is a town and a former municipality on the island of Lesbos, North Aegean, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lesbos, of which it is a municipal unit. It is the capital of the island of Lesbos. Mytilene, whose name is pre-Greek, is built on the...
on the island of Lesbos who lived in the middle of the 1st century BC. He was a friend of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
and wrote a book about his expedition to Asia. According to Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
Pompey granted freedoms to Mytilene for Theophanes' sake.
Theophanes was one of the most intimate friends of Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
, whom he accompanied in many of his campaigns, and who frequently followed his advice on public as well as private matters. He was not a freedman of Pompey, as some modern writers have supposed, but the Roman general appears to have made his acquaintance during the Mithridatic War, and soon became so much attached to him that he presented to the Greek Roman citizenship in the presence of his army, after a speech in which he eulogised his merits. This occurred in all probability about 62 BC, and Theophanes must now have taken the name of Pompeius after his patron. Such was his influence with Pompey that, in the course of the same year, he obtained for his native city the privileges of a free state
Free state
Free state may refer to:* Free state , a loosely defined term used by various states at different times and places to describe themselves...
, although it had espoused the cause of 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...
, and had given up the Roman general M'. Aquillius to Pontus.
Theophanes came to Rome with Pompey after the conclusion of his wars in the East. There he adopted, before he had any son, Lucius Cornelius Balbus, of Gades, a favourite of his patron. He continued to live with Pompey on the most intimate terms, and we see from Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
's letters that his society was courted by many of the Roman nobles, on account of his well-known influence with Pompey. On the breaking out of the civil war he accompanied Pompey to Greece, who appointed him commander of the Fabri, and chiefly consulted him and Lucceius on all important matters in the war, much to the indignation of the Roman nobles. After the Battle of Pharsalus
Battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. On 9 August 48 BC at Pharsalus in central Greece, Gaius Julius Caesar and his allies formed up opposite the army of the republic under the command of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus...
Theophanes fled with Pompey from Greece, and it was owing to his advice that Pompey went to Egypt. After the death of his friend and patron, Theophanes took refuge in Italy. He was pardoned by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, and was still alive in 44 BC, as we see from one of Cicero's letters. After his death the Lesbians paid divine honours to his memory. Theophanes wrote the history of Pompey's campaigns, in which he represented the exploits of his hero in the most favourable light, and did not hesitate, as Plutarch more than hints, to invent a false tale for the purpose of injuring the reputation of an enemy of the Pompeian family.
Theophanes left behind him a son, M. Pompeius Theophanes, who was sent to Asia by Augustus, in the capacity of procurator
Procurator (Roman)
A procurator was the title of various officials of the Roman Empire, posts mostly filled by equites . A procurator Augusti was the governor of the smaller imperial provinces...
, and was at the time that Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
wrote one of the friends of Tiberius. The latter emperor, however, put his descendants to death towards the end of his reign, in AD 33, because their ancestor had been one of Pompey's friends, and had received after his death divine honours from the Lesbians.
The people of Mytilene commemorated Theophanes as a hero after his death and put his portrait on their bronze coins. From the likeness a marble portrait of the man has been identified as well as dozens of his images in relief on the bottom of special bowls perhaps made to celebrate his posthumous status. Excavations both in the castle of Mytilene and elsewhere in the town have uncovered a variety of them.