Iamblichus I ( arc, 𐡉𐡌𐡋𐡊𐡅, Yamlīḵū; died 31 BC) was one of the

phylarch A phylarch ( el, φύλαρχος, la, phylarchus) is a Greek title meaning "ruler of a tribe", from ''phyle'', "tribe" + ''archein'' "to rule". In Classical Athens, a phylarch was the elected commander of the cavalry provided by each of the ci ...

s, or petty princes of the Arab tribe of the EmesenesStrab. xvi. p. 753. in Emesa (now

Homs 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 ...

, Syria). He was the son of

Sampsiceramus I Sampsiceramus I ( arc, 𐡔𐡌𐡔𐡂𐡓𐡌, Šamšigeram; died 48 BC) was the founding Priest-King of the Emesene dynasty who lived in the 1st century BC and was a tribal chieftain or Phylarch. Biography The ancestors of Sampsiceramus I were ...

and is first mentioned by

Marcus Tullius Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

in a despatch, which he sent from Rome to

Cilicia Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coa ...

in 51 BC, and in which he writes that lamblichus had sent him intelligence about the movements of the

Parthia Parthia ( peo, 𐎱𐎼𐎰𐎺 ''Parθava''; xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭕𐭅 ''Parθaw''; pal, 𐭯𐭫𐭮𐭥𐭡𐭥 ''Pahlaw'') is a historical region located in northeastern Greater Iran. It was conquered and subjugated by the empire of the Med ...

n troops of

Pacorus I Pacorus I (also spelled Pakoros I; xpr, 𐭐𐭊𐭅𐭓; died 38 BC) was a Parthian prince, who was the son and heir of Orodes II (). The numismatist David Sellwood deduced that Pacorus ruled in . It is uncertain whether Pacorus ruled alongside ...

. Cicero speaks of Iamblichus as well disposed to the republic. In 48 BC, Iamblichus I,

Antipater the Idumaean Antipater I the Idumaean, he, ''‘Ānṭīpāṭrūs'' (born 113 or 114 BCE, died 43 BCE) was the founder of the Herodian Dynasty and father of Herod the Great. According to Josephus, he was the son of Antipas; Hebrew: אנטיפס) and had ...

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

and other allies of the Romans, joined the campaign of Mithridates II in Egypt to support

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

, who was besieged in Alexandria. In the mid-40s BC, he supported the rebellion of

Quintus Caecilius Bassus Quintus Caecilius Bassus () was a Roman Equites, equestrian who fought during Caesar's civil war under Pompey before the Battle of Pharsalus. After the battle, he commandeered two mutinous legions in Syria (Roman province), Syria and defended agains ...

. In the war between

Octavianus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

and

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...

in 31 BC, lamblichus supported the cause of the latter. But after Gnaeus Domitius had gone over to Octavianus, Antony became suspicious of treachery, and accordingly put lamblichus to death by torture, along with several others. Antony's suspicions were apparently excited against lamblichus by his own brother

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

, who obtained the sovereignty after his brother's execution. But Alexander was shortly afterwards taken by Octavianus to

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

to grace his triumph, and then put to death. At a later period (20 BC) his son,

Iamblichus II Iamblichus (; grc-gre, Ἰάμβλιχος ; Aramaic: 𐡉𐡌𐡋𐡊𐡅 ''Yamlīḵū''; ) was a Syrians, Syrian Neoplatonism, neoplatonic philosopher of Arabs, Arabic origin. He determined a direction later taken by neoplatonism. Iamblich ...

, obtained from Augustus the restoration of his father's dominions.Dion Cass. liv. 9.

Footnotes & Reference

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iamblichus People from Homs Emesene dynasty Roman client rulers 31 BC deaths 1st-century BC rulers in Asia 1st-century BC Arabs Year of birth unknown