Ariobarzanes II, surnamed ''Philopator'', "father-loving", ( grc, Ἀριοβαρζάνης Φιλοπάτωρ, Ariobarzánēs Philopátōr), was the king of
Cappadocia from c. 63 BC or 62 BC to c. 51 BC. He was the son of King
Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia and his wife Queen
Athenais Philostorgos I Athenais Philostorgos I, her surname can be spelt as Philostorgus ( el, , meaning ''Athenais the loving one'', flourished 1st century BC) was a Queen of Cappadocia.
Athenais was a Greek noblewoman of obscure origins. She was the wife of the Cappad ...
. Ariobarzanes II was half
Persian and half
Greek.
Ariobarzanes II married the princess
Athenais Philostorgos II, one of the daughters of King
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates or Mithradates VI Eupator ( grc-gre, Μιθραδάτης; 135–63 BC) was ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus in northern Anatolia from 120 to 63 BC, and one of the Roman Republic's most formidable and determined opponents. He was an e ...
. He was an ineffective ruler, requiring the aid of
Gabinius
The gens Gabinia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in the second century BC.''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', pp. 192 ''ff''. ("Gabinia gens"). The ''nomen'' derives from the city of ...
in 57 BC to ward off his enemies. He was successful in maintaining rule over
Cappadocia for approximately eight years before being assassinated by
Parthian favorites. By his wife, he had two sons:
Ariobarzanes III of Cappadocia Ariobarzanes III, surnamed ''Eusebes Philorhomaios'', "Pious and Friend of the Romans" ( grc, Ἀριοβαρζάνης Εὐσεβής Φιλορώμαιος, Ariobarzánēs Eusebḗs Philorōmaíos), was the king of Cappadocia from ca. 51 BC until ...
and
Ariarathes X of Cappadocia
Ariarathes X, surnamed ''Eusebes Philadelphos'', "Pious, brother-loving" ( grc, Ἀριαράθης Εὐσεβής Φιλάδελφος, Ariaráthēs Eusebḗs Philádelphos), was the king of Cappadocia from c. 42 BC to 36 BC. He was of Persian a ...
. He was succeeded by his first son.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ariobarzanes 02 of Cappadocia
51 BC deaths
1st-century BC rulers in Asia
Kings of Cappadocia
Year of birth unknown