Iotapa (born around 20 BC-unknown date of death) was a princess of

Commagene Commagene ( grc-gre, Κομμαγηνή) was an ancient Greco-Iranian kingdom ruled by a Hellenized branch of the Iranian Orontid dynasty that had ruled over Armenia. The kingdom was located in and around the ancient city of Samosata, which ser ...

, daughter of King

Mithridates III of Commagene Mithridates III Antiochus Epiphanes ( el, , flourished 1st century BC) was a prince who served as a King of Commagene. Biography Mithridates III was the son and successor of King Mithridates II of Commagene. He was of Iranian; ; ; ; and Gree ...

, Queen consort of Syrian King

Sampsiceramus II Sampsiceramus II ( arc, 𐡔𐡌𐡔𐡂𐡓𐡌, Šamšigeram, grc, Γάϊος Ἰούλιος Σαμσιγέραμος, Gaius Julius Sampsigeramus; died 42 AD) was a Priest King of Emesa who reigned from 14 to 42 AD. Biography Sampsiceramus I ...

Emesa Homs ( , , , ; ar, حِمْص / ALA-LC: ; Levantine Arabic: / ''Ḥomṣ'' ), known in pre-Islamic Syria as Emesa ( ; grc, Ἔμεσα, Émesa), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level ...

Biography

Iotapa was a princess from the

Kingdom of Commagene Commagene ( grc-gre, Κομμαγηνή) was an ancient Greco-Iranian kingdom ruled by a Hellenized branch of the Iranian Orontid dynasty that had ruled over Armenia. The kingdom was located in and around the ancient city of Samosata, which ser ...

, who lived in the second half of the 1st century BC and the first half of the 1st century. She was one of the daughters of King

and Queen Iotapa of Commagene. Iotapa was of Armenian, Greek and Median descent. She was most probably born, raised and educated in

Samosata Samsat ( ku, Samîsad), formerly Samosata ( grc, Σαμόσατα) is a small town in the Adıyaman Province of Turkey, situated on the upper Euphrates river. It is the seat of Samsat District.Sampsiceramus II Sampsiceramus II ( arc, 𐡔𐡌𐡔𐡂𐡓𐡌, Šamšigeram, grc, Γάϊος Ἰούλιος Σαμσιγέραμος, Gaius Julius Sampsigeramus; died 42 AD) was a Priest King of Emesa who reigned from 14 to 42 AD. Biography Sampsiceramus I ...

from the

Royal family of Emesa The Emesene (or Emesan) dynasty, also called the Sampsigeramids or the Sampsigerami or the House of Sampsigeramus ( ar, آل شمسيغرام, translit=ʾĀl Šamsīġirām), were a Roman client dynasty of Arab priest-kings known to have ruled by ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, who ruled from 14 to 42. Through her marriage to Sampsiceramus II, she became Queen of Emesa. Iotapa with Sampsiceramus II had four children; two daughters: Iotapa, Mamaea and two sons:

Gaius Julius Azizus Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius P ...

, Gaius Julius Sohaemus. From a surviving inscription dated from the reign of her husband, Sampsiceramus II along with Iotapa are known as a ''happy couple''.Temporini, ''2, Principat: 9, 2, Volume 8'', p.214

Sources

* H. Temporini & W. Haase, 2, Principat: 9, 2, Volume 8, Walter de Gruyter, 1978 * * * Levick, Barbara (2007). ''Julia Domna, Syrian Empress'', Taylor & Francis
Royal Egyptian Genealogy: Ptolemaic Descendants

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Biography

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See also