The Archaeanactids (
Greek: Αρχαιανακτίδαι) were a
Greek dynasty of the Kingdom of
Bosporus that ruled in 480–438 BC.
The presumed founder,
Archaeanax
Archaeanax (Greek: Αρχαιάναξ) seems to have been a ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom some 40 years prior to the ascent of the Thracian Spartocids.
Biography
Little to nothing is known about Archaeanax prior to his ascent to the throne. He ma ...
, was probably a
strategos
''Strategos'', plural ''strategoi'', Linguistic Latinisation, Latinized ''strategus'', ( el, στρατηγός, pl. στρατηγοί; Doric Greek: στραταγός, ''stratagos''; meaning "army leader") is used in Greek language, Greek to ...
of a league of city-states in the
Cimmerian Bosporus, likely formed as a defense against foreign threats. After taking power, Archaeanax caused the cities of
Theodosia and
Nymphaeum
A ''nymphaeum'' or ''nymphaion'' ( grc, νυμφαῖον), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs.
These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...
to withdraw from the league. Throughout their reign, Panticapaeum and her surrounding cities had an age of economic growth as well as the construction of new temples and replanning of all city parts. They were later succeeded by a
hellenized family of
Thracians, called the
Spartocids.
References
480 BC
Ancient Greek dynasties
Rulers of the Bosporan Kingdom
5th-century BC establishments
5th-century BC disestablishments
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