Rhoemetalces, also known as Rhoimetalces ( el, Τιβέριος Ἰούλιος Ροιμητάλκης, fl. 2nd century AD; died 153), was a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

client king of the

Bosporan Kingdom The Bosporan Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus (, ''Vasíleio toú Kimmerikoú Vospórou''), was an ancient Greco-Scythian state located in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus, ...

Life

When Cotys II died in 131, Rhoemetalces succeeded him as king. The relationship between Rhoemetalces and previous kings is not known, though it is possible that he was a son of Cotys II. Rhoemetalces ruled as Bosporan king from 131 until 153. He was a contemporary to the rule of the Roman Emperors Hadrian and

Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius ( Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a senatori ...

. On coinage his royal title is in Greek: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΡΟΙΜΗΤΑΛΚΟΥ'' ("of King Rhoemetalces"). According to the ''Historia Augusta'', at an unknown date in the reign of

, Rhoemetalces travelled 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 ...

for a hearing of a dispute between him and the imperial commissioner. The nature and causes leading to this dispute are unknown. After the hearing had concluded, the Emperor sent him back to the Bosporan Kingdom. Rhoemetalces appears to have been religious and was involved in the worship of

Aphrodite Aphrodite ( ; grc-gre, Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodítē; , , ) is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, and procreation. She was syncretized with the Roman goddess . Aphrodite's major symbols inclu ...

and her cult. This can be confirmed by an inscription found on a statue base from

Phanagoria Phanagoria ( grc, Φαναγόρεια, Phanagóreia; russian: Фанагория, translit=Fanagoriya) was the largest ancient Greek city on the Taman peninsula, spread over two plateaus along the eastern shore of the Cimmerian Bosporus. The ...

. Not much more is otherwise known of his reign and life. He was succeeded by Eupator, who might have been his brother. Rhoemetalces is known to have had at least one son, Sauromates II, who succeeded Eupator as king in the 170s.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhoemetalces, Tiberius Julius Rulers of the Bosporan Kingdom Roman client rulers 153 deaths 2nd-century monarchs in Europe Year of birth unknown Rhoemetalces, Tiberius

Life

See also

References