Aspurgus

Tiberius Julius Aspurgus Philoromaios (Template:Lang-el, Philoromaios means lover of Rome, flourished second half of 1st century BC & first half of 1st century AD, died 38) was a Prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom.

The name Aspurgus is a name of Iranian origin.^[1] His name goes back to the Iranian words aspa (horse) and aspabara (horseman).^[2] 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.^[3] 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:

Tiberius Julius Mithridates – Mithridates was named in honor of Mithridates VI and he died in 68
Tiberius Julius Cotys I – Cotys was named in honor of his late maternal grandfather, Thracian King Cotys VIII

Through their second son, Aspurgus and Gepaepyris 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.

References

^ http://www.pontos.dk/publications/papers-presented-orally/oral-files/treister-weapons p.12
^ http://www.pontos.dk/publications/papers-presented-orally/oral-files/treister-weapons p.12
^ Mayor, The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy p.xviii

External links

Coinage of Aspurgus

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

[1] ttp://www.pontos.dk/publications/papers-presented-orally/oral-files/treister-weapons p.12

[2] ttp://www.pontos.dk/publications/papers-presented-orally/oral-files/treister-weapons p.12

[3] Mayor, The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy p.xviii

[1]

[2]

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v t e Hellenistic rulers
Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV
Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)
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Monarchs of Cyrene	Magas Berenice II Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy Apion Cleopatra Selene II
Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Cleopatra Thea Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Cleopatra Selene I Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus
Lysimachids	Lysimachus Ptolemy Epigonos
Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III
Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I
Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III
Monarchs of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus
Monarchs of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II
Monarchs of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV
Monarchs of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus
Monarchs of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Paerisades I Satyros II Prytanis Eumelos Spartokos III Hygiainon (regent) Paerisades II Spartokos IV Leukon II Spartokos V [ru] Kamasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Paerisades V Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon Aspurgus Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I
Monarchs of Epirus	Admetus Tharrhypas Alcetas I Neoptolemus I Arybbas Alexander I Aeacides Neoptolemus II Alcetas II Pyrrhus I Alexander II Olympias II (regent) Pyrrhus II Ptolemy Pyrrhus III Deidamia
Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.

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References

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Sources