| 52 BC - 42 BC |
Cappadocia
Ariobarzanes III
Καππαδοκία Αριοβαρζάνης Γ'
Καππαδοκία Αριοβαρζάνης Γ'
| AR 16 |
SHH 156 |
 |
| Parameter Obverse Reverse Notes Reference Acquired |
3.85
g 15-16
mm VF Diademed head of Ariobarzanes right, with short beard. Athena standing left, holding Nike, spear and shield; above ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ; on right ΑΡΙΟΒΑΡΖΑΝΟΥ; on left ΕΥΣΕ[ΒΟΥΣ]; in exergue [Φ]ΙΛΟΡΩΜΑΙΟΥ; in field to left star and crescend, to right monogramm. ? Copenhagen VII 162/163; Dewing 2552/2554; Sear Greek 7304 10.10.2003 |
The White Syrians Of Aramaean Cappadocia
Robertino Solàrion
http://www.apollonius.net/whitesyrians.html
Ariobarzanes
III was King of Cappadocia when Cicero was proconsul of Cilicia, B.C.
51. Cicero gave him his support. Cicero had some very unpleasant
business to transact with the king, who was a debtor to Cn. Pompeius
the Great and M. Junius Brutus, the patriot. The proconsul, much
against his will, had to dun [insist on the payment of a debt, RS] the
king for his greedy Roman creditors. The king was very poor; he had no
treasury, no regular taxes. Cicero got out of him about 100 talents for
Brutus, and the king's six months' note for 200 talents to Pompeius.
Ariobarzanes joined Pompeius against Caesar, who, however, pardoned
him, and added to his dominions part of Armenia.
When L. Cassius was in Asia (B.C. 42) raising troops for the war against Antonius and Octavius, he sent some horsemen, who assassinated Ariobarzanes, on the pretext that he was conspiring against Cassius. The assassins robbed the dead king, and carried off his money and whatever else was movable. This king was succeeded by Ariarathes VII; but Sisinnas disputed the title with him, and M. Antonius, while passing through Asia after the battle of Philippi, gave a judgment in favour of Sisinnas, on account of the beauty of his mother Glaphyre. In B.C. 36, Antonius expelled and murdered Ariarathes, and gave the kingdom to Archelaus, a descendant of the Archelaus who was a general of Mithridates (in B.C. 88). All the Kings of Cappadocia up to this Archelaus have Persian names, and probably were of Persian stock.
When L. Cassius was in Asia (B.C. 42) raising troops for the war against Antonius and Octavius, he sent some horsemen, who assassinated Ariobarzanes, on the pretext that he was conspiring against Cassius. The assassins robbed the dead king, and carried off his money and whatever else was movable. This king was succeeded by Ariarathes VII; but Sisinnas disputed the title with him, and M. Antonius, while passing through Asia after the battle of Philippi, gave a judgment in favour of Sisinnas, on account of the beauty of his mother Glaphyre. In B.C. 36, Antonius expelled and murdered Ariarathes, and gave the kingdom to Archelaus, a descendant of the Archelaus who was a general of Mithridates (in B.C. 88). All the Kings of Cappadocia up to this Archelaus have Persian names, and probably were of Persian stock.