Tiberius Julius Aspurgus

Aspurgus Philoromaios
Aspurgus Philoromaios
King of the Bosporan Kingdom
Reign	7/8 – 37/38 AD[1]
Predecessor	Dynamis[1] (as queen)
Successor	Gepaepyris (as queen)
Died	37/38 AD
Issue	T. J. Mithridates; T. J. Cotys I
House	Tiberian-Julian dynasty
Father	Asander
Mother	Dynamis
Religion	Greek Polytheism

Tiberius Julius Aspurgus Philoromaios (Greek: Τιβέριος Ἰούλιος Ἀσποῦργoς Φιλορωμαῖος,[lower-alpha 1] fl. second half of 1st century BC and first half of 1st century AD; died 37/38) was a prince and Roman client king of the Bosporan Kingdom.

History

The name Aspurgus is of Iranian origin,[2] derived from aspa (horse) and aspabara (horseman).[2] Aspurgus was of Iranian and possibly Greek ancestry.

Aspurgus was born to Asander, ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom and Dynamis. He was the maternal grandchild to the previous Roman client king of the Bosporan and Pontus, Pharnaces II and his Sarmatian wife.

In 17 BC, Asander died of voluntary starvation from despair at the age of 93 because he witnessed his troops desert him for the Roman usurper, Scribonius. Scribonius pretended to be a relative of Dynamis, so he could seize Asander's throne and become king. Dynamis was forced to marry Scribonius. The Roman statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa discovered Scribonius’ deception and intervened, appointing Polemon I of Pontus as the new Bosporan King. Dynamis married Polemon I, making him Aspurgus' stepfather.

When Dynamis died in 7 or 8 C.E., Aspurgus headed the Bosporan domain.[1] Little is known of Aspurgus’ reign. However, he seemed to have been a strong and capable ruler. Due to previous dynastic conflicts during the Roman Republic and around the period of Asander's death, the Emperor Augustus and the Roman Senate only accepted Aspurgus as the legitimate Bosporan King in 14 AD. Aspurgus adopted the Roman names "Tiberius Julius", because he received Roman citizenship and enjoyed the patronage of Augustus and his heir, Tiberius.

Family

Aspurgus married Gepaepyris, a Thracian princess. Gepaepyris bore Aspurgus two sons:

Tiberius Julius Mithridates, named in honour of Mithridates VI; he died in 68 AD
Tiberius Julius Cotys I, named in honour of his late maternal grandfather, Cotys VIII

Aspurgus reigned until his death in 37 or 38 AD.[1] On his death Aspurgus left his wife Gepaepyris, and two sons, Mithridates and Cotys. Gepaepyris succeeded her husband as sole ruler.[3]

Notes

Philoromaios means "lover of Rome"

References

Bunson, Matthew (2014-05-14). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire. Infobase Publishing. p. 372. ISBN 978-1-4381-1027-1. When Dynamis died in 7 or 8 C.E., Aspurgus headed the Bosporan domain until his death in 37 or 38,
Treister, Mikhail. "On the weapons of Sarmatian type in the Bosporan Kingdom in the 1st – 2nd centuries AD". Pontos.dk. p. 12.
Association, American Philological (1974). Transactions of the American Philological Association. For the Association by the Press of Case Western Reserve University. p. 5.

Bibliography

"Ancient Coinage of Bosporos, Kings - WildWinds.com". Wildwinds.com. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
"Cleopatra VII". 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
Mayor, A., 'The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome's deadliest enemy, Princeton University Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0691150260
Treister, M., On the weapons of Sarmatian type in the Bosporan Kingdom in the 1st-2nd century AD

External links

Coinage of Aspurgus

Monarchs of the Bosporan Kingdom
Archaeanactid dynasty	Archaeanax Unknown kings
Spartocid dynasty	Spartocus I Satyrus I Seleucus Leucon I Gorgippus Spartocus II Paerisades I Satyrus II Prytanis Eumelus Spartocus III Paerisades II Spartocus IV Leucon II Hygiaenon (regent) Spartocus V Camasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Spartocus VI Paerisades V
Scythian rule	Saumacus
Mithridatic dynasty	Mithridates I Pharnaces Dynamis with Asander Mithridates II Dynamis with Asander Dynamis Dynamis with Scribonius Dynamis with Polemon I Dynamis
Tiberian-Julian dynasty	Aspurgus (Polemon II) Rhescuporis I Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I Rhescuporis II Sauromates I Cotys II Rhoemetalces Eupator Sauromates II Rhescuporis III Cotys III Sauromates III Rhescuporis IV Chedosbius Ininthimeus Rhescuporis V Pharsanzes Teiranes Sauromates IV Theothorses Rhadamsades Rhescuporis VI

Hellenistic rulers
Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV
Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)
Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy Keraunos Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Monarchs of Cyrene	Magas Berenice II Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy Apion Cleopatra Selene II
Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Cleopatra Thea Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Cleopatra Selene I Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus
Lysimachids	Lysimachus Ptolemy Epigonos
Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III
Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I
Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III
Monarchs of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus
Monarchs of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II
Monarchs of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV
Monarchs of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus
Monarchs of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Paerisades I Satyros II Prytanis Eumelos Spartokos III Hygiainon (regent) Paerisades II Spartokos IV Leukon II Spartokos V Kamasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Paerisades V Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon Aspurgus Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I
Monarchs of Epirus	Admetus Tharrhypas Alcetas I Neoptolemus I Arybbas Alexander I Aeacides Neoptolemus II Alcetas II Pyrrhus I Alexander II Olympias II (regent) Pyrrhus II Ptolemy Pyrrhus III Deidamia
Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.