Artaxias III, also known as Zeno-Artaxias, ( el, Άρταξίας, 13 BC–34 AD) was a
Pontic
Pontic, from the Greek ''pontos'' (, ), or "sea", may refer to:
The Black Sea Places
* The Pontic colonies, on its northern shores
* Pontus (region), a region on its southern shores
* The Pontic–Caspian steppe, steppelands stretching from n ...
prince and later a Roman Client King of
Armenia.
Artaxias birth name was Zenon ( el, Ζήνων). He was the first son and child born to
Roman Client Rulers
Polemon Pythodoros and
Pythodorida of Pontus
Pythodorida or Pythodoris of Pontus ( el, Πυθοδωρίδα or Πυθοδωρίς, 30 BC or 29 BC – 38) was a Roman client queen of Pontus, the Bosporan Kingdom, Cilicia, and Cappadocia.
Origins and early life
Pythodorida is also known as ...
. His younger siblings were
Polemon II of Pontus
Marcus Antonius Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon II of Pontus and Polemon of Cilicia ( el, Μάρκος Ἀντώνιος Πολέμων Πυθόδωρος; 12 BC/11 BC–74), was a prince of the Bosporan, Pontus, Cilicia, and Cappadocia ...
, who would succeed his mother and became the last ruler of Pontus, and
Antonia Tryphaena
Antonia Tryphaena also known as Tryphaena of Thrace or Tryphaena (her name in Ancient Greek, Greek: ἡ Ἀντωνία Τρύφαινα or Τρυφαίνη, 10 BC – 55 AD) was a Kingdom of Pontus, Pontian Princess and a Ancient Rome, Roman Clie ...
who was the Queen of
Thrace. He was of
Anatolian
Greek and Roman heritage.
His paternal grandfather was Zenon, a prominent orator and aristocrat, who was an ally to Roman Triumvir
Mark Antony. His maternal grandparents were
Pythodoros of Tralles
Pythodoros of Tralles, also known as Pythodorus ( grc-gre, Πυθόδωρος; c. 70 – after 28 BC), was an exceedingly wealthy Greek living in the 1st century BC. Pythodoros originally came from Tralles (modern Aydın, Turkey). Not much is know ...
and
Antonia. Zenon was named after his paternal grandfather. Through his maternal grandmother he was a direct descendant of Mark Antony and his second wife Antonia Hybrida Minor.
Artaxias’ father died in 8 BC. His mother married Roman Client King
Archelaus of Cappadocia. The family had moved to
Cappadocia and along with his siblings were raised in the court of their stepfather. Archelaus had died in 17 AD. After his death, his mother and Polemon II moved back to Pontus.
In 18 AD, the previous Armenian King,
Vonones I, was exiled and Artaxias was a popular choice with the Armenians to replace him. Roman general
Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar (24 May 15 BC – 10 October AD 19) was an ancient Roman general, known for his campaigns in Germania. The son of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia the Younger, Germanicus was born into an influential branch of the Patric ...
, with the approval of the
Roman emperor Tiberius, agreed that Artaxias be crowned as the new Roman client king of Armenia.
The Armenians paid homage to him and acclaimed him as King Artaxias. He was named after the city of
Artaxata in which he was proclaimed king. Artaxias reigned until his death in 34 AD. He was succeeded by Arsaces I, one of the sons of
King Artabanus III of Parthia. Artaxias never married nor did he have any children.
Sources
*
*
*
*
Tacitus, Annals of Imperial Rome
Artaxias' article at ancient library
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Artaxias III
13 BC births
34 deaths
1st-century kings of Armenia
Roman client kings of Armenia
1st-century deaths
Year of birth unknown