Tiberius Julius Aspurgus
Encyclopedia
Tiberius Julius Aspurgus Philoromaios was a Prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom
.
The name Aspurgus is a name of Iranian origin
. His name goes back to the Iranian words aspa (horse) and aspabara (horseman). Aspurgus was a monarch of Greek
and Iranian ancestry
.
Aspurgus was the son born to the ruling Monarchs Asander
and Dynamis
. He was the maternal grandchild to the previous ruling Roman Client King of the Bosporan and Pontus
, Pharnaces II
and his Sarmatian
wife. His maternal grandfather was the youngest son and child born to King Mithridates VI of Pontus
from his first wife, his sister Queen Laodice
. He was born and raised in the Bosporan Kingdom.
In 17 BC the father of Aspurgus, Asander had died of voluntary starvation from despair at the age of 93 because Asander witnessed his troops desert him to the Roman usurper
, Scribonius. Scribonius pretended to be a relative of the legitimate heir Dynamis, so he could seize Asander’s throne and become Bosporan King. Dynamis became compelled to marry Scribonius. The Roman statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
discovered Scribonius’ deception and intervened in the situation. Agrippa appointed Polemon I of Pontus
as the new Bosporan King. Dynamis married Polemon I as her second husband, thus Polemon I became a stepfather to Aspurgus. Dynamis died in 14 BC and Polemon I ruled as Bosporan King until his death in 8 BC.
After the death of Polemon I, Aspurgus succeeded his stepfather. Little is known on Aspurgus’ reign; however he seemed to have been a strong and capable ruler. Due to previous dynastic conflicts during the Roman Republic
and around the period of Asander’s death, the first Roman Emperor
Augustus
and the Roman Senate
finally in 14, accepted Aspurgus as the legitimate Bosporan King. Aspurgus adopted the Roman names "Tiberius Julius", because he received Roman citizenship
and enjoyed the patronage of Augustus and his heir Tiberius
.
Aspurgus married a Thracian
Princess called Gepaepyris
. Gepaepyris bore Aspurgus two sons who were:
Through their second son, Aspurgus and Gapaepyris would have various descendants ruling the Bosporan Kingdom until the mid-4th century. The successors of Aspurgus bore the name Tiberius Julius to show their connection and ancestry with him. Aspurgus reigned until he died in 38. After his death, Gepaepyris ruled with their first son.
Bosporan Kingdom
The Bosporan Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus was an ancient state, located in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus...
.
The name Aspurgus is a name of Iranian origin
Iranian languages
The Iranian languages form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian languages which in turn is a subgroup of Indo-European language family. They have been and are spoken by Iranian peoples....
. His name goes back to the Iranian words aspa (horse) and aspabara (horseman). Aspurgus was a monarch of 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....
and Iranian ancestry
Iranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
.
Aspurgus was the son born to the ruling Monarchs Asander
Asander (Bosporan King)
Asander named Philocaesar Philoromaios was an aristocrat and a man of high rank of the Bosporan Kingdom.Asander was of Greek and possibly of Persian ancestry. There is not much is known on his family and early life. He started his political and military career as a general under Pharnaces II, King...
and Dynamis
Dynamis (Bosporan queen)
Dynamis named Philoromaios was a Roman Client Queen of the Bosporan Kingdom during the Roman Republic and the reign of the first Roman Emperor Augustus.-Life:...
. He was the maternal grandchild to the previous ruling Roman Client King of the Bosporan and 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...
, Pharnaces II
Pharnaces II of Pontus
Pharnaces II of Pontus, also known as Pharnaces II was a prince, then King of Pontus and the Bosporan until his death. He was a monarch of Persian and Greek Macedonian ancestry. Pharnaces II was the youngest son and child born to King Mithridates VI of Pontus from his first wife, his sister Queen...
and his Sarmatian
Sarmatians
The Iron Age Sarmatians were an Iranian people in Classical Antiquity, flourishing from about the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD....
wife. His maternal grandfather was the youngest son and child born to King 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...
from his first wife, his sister Queen 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...
. He was born and raised in the Bosporan Kingdom.
In 17 BC the father of Aspurgus, Asander had died of voluntary starvation from despair at the age of 93 because Asander witnessed his troops desert him to the Roman usurper
Usurper
Usurper is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally...
, Scribonius. Scribonius pretended to be a relative of the legitimate heir Dynamis, so he could seize Asander’s throne and become Bosporan King. Dynamis became compelled to marry Scribonius. The Roman statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was a Roman statesman and general. He was a close friend, son-in-law, lieutenant and defense minister to Octavian, the future Emperor Caesar Augustus...
discovered Scribonius’ deception and intervened in the situation. Agrippa appointed Polemon I of Pontus
Polemon I of Pontus
Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon I or Polemon I of Pontus was the Roman Client King of Cilicia, Pontus, Colchis and the Bosporan Kingdom....
as the new Bosporan King. Dynamis married Polemon I as her second husband, thus Polemon I became a stepfather to Aspurgus. Dynamis died in 14 BC and Polemon I ruled as Bosporan King until his death in 8 BC.
After the death of Polemon I, Aspurgus succeeded his stepfather. Little is known on Aspurgus’ reign; however he seemed to have been a strong and capable ruler. Due to previous dynastic conflicts during 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 around the period of Asander’s death, the first 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...
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
and the Roman Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
finally in 14, accepted Aspurgus as the legitimate Bosporan King. Aspurgus adopted the Roman names "Tiberius Julius", because he received Roman citizenship
Roman citizenship
Citizenship in ancient Rome was a privileged political and legal status afforded to certain free-born individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance....
and enjoyed the patronage of Augustus and his heir Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
.
Aspurgus married a Thracian
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
Princess called Gepaepyris
Gepaepyris
Gepaepyris was a Thracian Princess and a Roman Client Queen of the Bosporan Kingdom.Gepaepyris was the first daughter and was among the children of Roman Client Rulers of Thrace, Cotys VIII and Antonia Tryphaena...
. Gepaepyris bore Aspurgus two sons who were:
- Tiberius Julius MithridatesTiberius Julius MithridatesTiberius Julius Mithridates Philogermanicus Philopatris, sometimes known as Mithridates III of the Bosporan was a Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom....
– Mithridates was named in honor of Mithridates VI and he died in 68 - Tiberius Julius Cotys ITiberius Julius Cotys ITiberius Julius Cotys I Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes, also known as Cotys I or Kotys I was a prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom....
– Cotys was named in honor of his late maternal grandfather, Thracian King Cotys VIII
Through their second son, Aspurgus and Gapaepyris would have various descendants ruling the Bosporan Kingdom until the mid-4th century. The successors of Aspurgus bore the name Tiberius Julius to show their connection and ancestry with him. Aspurgus reigned until he died in 38. After his death, Gepaepyris ruled with their first son.
External links
Sources
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0388.html
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0389.html
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/3091.html
- http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/bosporos/kings/i.html
- http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/tiberius/RPC_1903.txt
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091027102003/http://geocities.com/christopherjbennett/ptolemies/cleopatra_vii.htm
- On the weapons of Sarmatian type in the Bosporan Kingdom in the 1st-2nd century AD by Mikhail Treister (Bonn)
- The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy, by Adrienne Mayor, Princeton University Press, 2009