Spartokos III

Spartokos III
Basileus of the Bosporan Kingdom
Reign 304–284 BC
Predecessor Eumelos
Successor Paerisades II
Born Unknown
Bosporan Kingdom
Died circa. 284 BC
Bosporan Kingdom
Issue Paerisades II (?)
Greek Σπάρτοκος
House Spartocid
Father Eumelos
Religion Greek Polytheism

Spartokos III (Greek: Σπάρτοκος) or Spartocus was king of the Bosporan Kingdom from 304 to 284 BC, after the untimely death of his father Eumelos in 304 BC after a reign of 5 years.

Reign

Spartokos inherited the throne from his father in 304 BC, after his father's unexpected death during his return from Sindia.[1] Upon assuming the throne, he became the first Bosporan ruler to take the title of basileus,[2] likely due to the Hellenistic kings of the time period doing the same such as the Antigonids, Lysimachids, Seleucids, and the Ptolemies. As soon as the Athenian trade was liberated from Demetrius, Spartokos quickly sought to renew his relationship with Athens,[3][4] which had already been trade partners with the Bosporan Kingdom in the reign of his great-grandfather Leukon. Spartokos received Athenian honors, thanking him and his predecessors for maintaining good relations with Athens.[5]

Succession

Spartokos died in 284 after ruling for 20 years.[6] He was succeeded by Paerisades II, who may have been the son of Satyros II who escaped and survived Eumelos's slaughter of the family,[7] but may also have been Spartokos's own son.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24.
  2. ↑ Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. followed the example of Alexander’s generals, who at that time nominated themselves as ‘kings’ – and did the same, retaining only the first title for all his subjects.
  3. ↑ G. J. Oliver. War, Food, and Politics in Early Hellenistic Athens.
  4. ↑ Rostovzeff. 1998, vol. I, p. 216 22.23. Soon after the liberation of the athenian trade from Demetrius of Macedonia, Spartocus III hastened to renew his relations with Athens and to contract with her 289/8 BC a regular συμμαχία, indicating the importance of the business relations between them.
  5. ↑ Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum: 370.
  6. ↑ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 10. and his son Spartacus succeeded to the throne and reigned for twenty years.
  7. ↑ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24. the only one to escape him was Parysades, the son of Satyrus, who was very young
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