Asander (king)

Asander
Asander
	Gold stater of Asander as King of the Bosporan Kingdom, dated 41/40 BC
King of the Bosporus; 1st co-reign with Dynamis
Reign	47 BC
Predecessor	Pharnaces II of Pontus
Successor	Mithridates II
King of the Bosporus; 2nd co-reign with Dynamis
Reign	44–17 BC
Predecessor	Mithridates II
Successor	Scribonius
Born	110 BC[citation needed]
Died	17 BC (aged 93)
Spouse	Dynamis
Issue	Tiberius Philoromaios
House	Tiberian-Julian dynasty
Religion	Greek Polytheism

Asander, named Philocaesar Philoromaios (Greek: Άσανδρoς Φιλοκαισαρ Φιλορώμαίος,^[a] 110^{[citation needed]} – 17 BC) was a Roman client king of the Bosporan Kingdom. He was of Greek and possibly of Persian ancestry. Not much is known of his family and early life. He started his career as a general under Pharnaces II, the king of the Bosporus. According to some scholars, Asander took as his first wife a woman called Glykareia, known from one surviving Greek inscription, "Glykareia, wife of Asander".

Revolt against Pharnaces II

By 47 BC, Asander had married Dynamis, the daughter of Pharnaces II by a Sarmatian wife, as his second wife. She was a granddaughter of King Mithridates VI of Pontus by his first wife, his sister Laodice.

In 47 BC, Pharnaces II put Asander in charge of the Bosporan Kingdom while he went with an army to invade the eastern parts of Anatolia. Following a successful campaign, Pharnaces advanced towards the western parts of Anatolia. However, he had to stop because Asander revolted against him. Asander hoped that by betraying his father-in-law he would win favour with the Romans and they could help him become the Bosporan King ^{[citation needed]}.

Pharnaces defeated Roman general Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus but was then defeated by Julius Caesar. After this defeat, Pharnaces fled to Sinope with 1,000 cavalry. From Sinope Pharnaces sailed to the Cimmerian Bosporus (without his horses), intending to recover his kingdom from Asander. He captured Theodosia (Feodosia) and Panticapaeum. In response, Asander attacked him. Pharnaces was defeated and killed in the battle because he was short of horses and his men were not used to fighting on foot.^[1] Strabo wrote that Asander took possession of the Bosporus.^[2]

Overthrow of Asander

Asander was soon overthrown from the Bosporan throne. Julius Caesar gave a tetrarchy in Galatia and the title of king to Mithridates of Pergamon. He also allowed him to wage war against Asander and conquer the Cimmerian Bosporus because Asander "had been mean to his friend Pharnaces".^[3] When Caecilius Bassus plotted a rebellion against Caesar and gathered troops to take over Syria in late 47 BC or early 46 BC, he claimed that "he was collecting these troops for the use of Mithridates the Pergamenian in an expedition against Bosporus".^[4] Mithridates of Pergamon overthrew Asander and became Mithridates I of the Bosporus.

Restoration to Bosporan Kingdom

Asander came back to defeat Mithridates in 47/46 BC. Sometime between 27 and 17 BC, Augustus formally recognised Asander as king of Bosporan Kingdom.

According to Strabo, Asander blocked the isthmus of the Chersonesus (Chersonesus Tauricus, modern Crimea) near Lake Maeotis (the Sea of Azov) with a wall which was 360 stadia long ( 53 kilometres, 35 miles) and had ten towers for every stadium. The wall was probably built because the Georgi of the region engaged in piracy.^[5] This isthmus was probably the modern Isthmus of Perekop.

Lucian wrote that Asander "at about ninety years proved himself a match for anyone in fighting from horseback or on foot; but when he saw his subjects going over to Scribonius on the eve of battle, he starved himself to death at the age of ninety-three."^[6]

Subsequent Events

Cassius Dio wrote that a certain Scribonius claimed to be a grandson of Mithridates VI and that he had received the Bosporan Kingdom from Augustus after the death of Asander. He gained the control of the kingdom by marrying Dynamis, who had been entrusted with the regency of the kingdom by her husband. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa sent Polemon I of Pontus against him. Scribonius was killed by the people, before Polemon got there because they had heard of his advance. They resisted Polemon because they were afraid that he may be appointed as their king. Polemon defeated them but was unable to quell the rebellion until Agrippa went to Sinope to prepare a campaign against them. They surrendered. Polemon was appointed as their king. He married Dynamis with the sanction of Augustus.^[7]

Dynamis died in 14 BC, and Polemon ruled until his death in 8 BC, succeeded by Aspurgus.

Notes

^ "Asander, lover of Caesar lover of Rome"

References

^ Appian, The Mithridatic Wars, 120-21 [1]
^ Strabo. Geography, 13.4.3 [2]
^ Cassius Dio, Roman History, 42.47 [3]
^ Cassius Dio, Roman History, 47.25.5 [4]
^ Strabo, Geography, 13.4.6 [5]
^ Lucian Long Lives. 16 [6]
^ Cassius Dio, Roman History, 54.24.4-8 [7]

Bibliography

Primary sources

Cassius Dio, Roman History, vol. 4, Books 41-45 (Loeb Classical Library), Loeb, 1989; ISBN 978-0674990739
Cassius Dio, Roman History, vol. 5, Books 46-50 (Loeb Classical Library), Loeb, 1989; ISBN 978-0674990913
Strabo, Geography: vol. 5, Books 10-12 (Loeb Classical Library), Loeb, 1989; ISBN 978-0674992337
Strabo, Geography: vol. 6, Books 13-14 (Loeb Classical Library), Loeb, 1989; ISBN 978-0674992467

Secondary sources

Mayor, A., The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy, Princeton University Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0691150260

External links

"Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Asander". Archived from the original on June 7, 2008. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
"Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Scribonius". Archived from the original on March 15, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
"Bosporos, Kings - Ancient Greek Coins". WildWinds.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
Treister, M., On the weapons of Sarmatian type in the Bosporan Kingdom in the 1st-2nd century AD by Mikhail (Bonn) [8]
Coinage of Asander

[1] "Asander, lover of Caesar lover of Rome"

[2] Appian, The Mithridatic Wars, 120-21 [1]

[3] Strabo. Geography, 13.4.3 [2]

[4] Cassius Dio, Roman History, 42.47 [3]

[5] Cassius Dio, Roman History, 47.25.5 [4]

[6] Strabo, Geography, 13.4.6 [5]

[Lucian-7] Lucian Long Lives. 16 [6]

[8] Cassius Dio, Roman History, 54.24.4-8 [7]

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v t e Monarchs of the Bosporan Kingdom
Archaeanactid dynasty	Archaeanax Unknown kings
Spartocid dynasty	Spartocus I Satyrus I Seleucus Leucon I Gorgippus Spartocus II Paerisades I Satyrus II Prytanis Eumelus Spartocus III Paerisades II Spartocus IV Leucon II Hygiaenon (regent) Spartokos V [ru] Camasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Spartocus VI Paerisades V
Scythian rule	Saumacus
Mithridatic dynasty	Mithridates I Pharnaces Dynamis with Asander Mithridates II Dynamis with Asander Dynamis Dynamis with Scribonius Dynamis with Polemon I Dynamis
Tiberian-Julian dynasty	Aspurgus (Polemon II) Rhescuporis I Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I Rhescuporis II Sauromates I Cotys II Rhoemetalces Eupator Sauromates II Rhescuporis III Cotys III Sauromates III Rhescuporis IV Chedosbius Ininthimeus Rhescuporis V Pharsanzes Teiranes Sauromates IV Theothorses Rhadamsades Rhescuporis VI

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)
Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy Keraunos Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion
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.