Chersonèse Taurique

Geography

The Bosphorus Cimmérien is a strait, which is navigable only in summer and which forever have the importance of the the Bosphorus of Thrace, even if the Greek boats went up to the mouth of the Tanaïs (Don). Towards the west, since the Gift, the kingdom included/understood almost all the the Crimea and the peninsula of Taman, but towards the east its limits remains still rather vague. It controlled also the outlet of the Lac Méotide (auj. Mer of Azov). On Western bank was the town of Panticapée (auj. Kerch or Kertch), founded towards -550 by of Milésiens which was the capital of the kingdom of the Bosphorus. In addition to Panticapée, other cities were flourishing: Phanagoria on other bank, founded by Téos, which thrived thanks to its fishings at sea of Azov, Chersonèsos (close to current the Sébastopol), founded towards -600 by the Athenian Miltiade Old the, then Théodosie (auj. Féodosia), it also founded by Milet. The principal activity of these ports consisted of a supply corn of the Greek cities, of which Athens, too populated to provide itself for its needs. This invaluable corn, coming from the rich person grounds of the east of Tauride, was taken along to Greece by sea, crossing to the passage the Chersonèse of Thrace.

History

Greek influence

The history of this kingdom is rather badly known over the period before the O C. At the time of the foundation of the cities, the contacts with the indigenous tribes are peaceful, which allows the fast development of these new cities with the Greek rest of the world. The cities then will be destroyed, towards the end of the 6th century by the forwarding of Darius {{Ier}} (-522/-486) to which they take part, against the Scythes. Then, at the beginning of the 5th century, several poleis (City-State) of the area of the Bosphorus Cimmérien will be grouped under the domination of the dynasty of the Arkhéanaktides. The specialists suppose that the pressure that the Scythians exerted is the cause.

Spartacides

In -438/-437, a Thrace of the name of Spartokos {{Ier}} (or Spartakos or Spartocus, -438/-431) drives out this dynasty, seizes the power and settles with Panticapée, which it takes for capital of its new kingdom (according to Diodore of Sicily). From there it can control the passage between the Mer of Azov (Palus Méotide) and the Black Sea (Euxin Bridge) what makes quickly take importance with its kingdom, towns of Greece having constantly as from this moment of the ambassadors near him. Exports of the kingdom of the Bosphorus rest mainly on corn and fish. The imports relate to ceramics, the wine, oil and metal. In spite of its perilous position, its dynasty, Spartocides, lasts more than three centuries. Succeed Spartakos 1st, its two sons Séleucos (-431/-391) and Satyros {{Ier}} (-431/-387) which reigns jointly during 42 years, then Satyros 1st only until its death. The economic exchanges are done especially with Athens. The Athenian importance in the kingdom of the Bosphorus also appears through the privileges which the kings grant to him, as well as support of noble for Panticapée. At died of Satyros 1st, his/her son Leucon {{Ier}} (-387/-348) arrives on the throne. This one, which maintains good relationships with the Athenians, receives them titrates it of citizen to have dispatched to them corn at the time of the famine of -357, at the time of the social Guerre. Its grandsons, Spartokos II (-348/-344) and Pairisadès {{Ier}} (or Parisades, -348/-310) take its continuation and reign jointly until in -344, then Pairisadès 1st only. This last is also known to have received Athenians the privilege to enlist with the Pirée soldiers for his fleet. During the III E, following the widening of the Greek world, thanks to the conquests of Alexandre Large the (-336/-323), the commercial relations between the Bosphorus Cimmérien and Athens decline gently. The kingdom turns to new powers like Délos or the Egypt for the commercial exchanges. On the throne Satyros II arrive then (-310/-309) which reigns one year jointly with Prytanis (-310). But a few months after the death of this one, noble of the Bosphorus, Eumèle (-309/-304) seize the throne which it keeps until in -304. On this date Spartokos III (-304/-283), legitimate heir, takes again the capacity.

Starting from this king, information misses on the succession of the sovereigns and the chronology according to which it was carried out. The only certainty relate to the last, Pairisadès V (-124/-108). In -115, Pairisadès V, not being able to resist the attacks of the Scythian , request of the assistance of the king Bridge Mithridate VI (-123/-63). This one succeeds in putting a term at the conflict and, with died of Pairisadès V, recovers the throne of the Bosphorus Cimmérien, which it bequeaths into -82 to his oldest son, Makharès. In -66, during the great invasion of Pumped at the time of the third mithridatic war, the son of the king deserted his father to line up Roman side. At that time start the successive defeats of Mithridate VI (1st as king of the Bosphorus) until its death in -63.

Roman “Protectorate”

Its other wire, Pharnace II (-63/-47) is then crowned by the inhabitants of the Bridge, king of the Bridge and king of the Bosphorus Cimmérien. It is supported by the Romans, but it betrays them. Rome then sends an army ordered by César (-101/-44) which beats it with Zéla in -47; it is killed shortly after. Its Pontus is then divided by Rome. A part is attached to the Roman Province of Bithynie and another allotted under Marc Antoine (-83/-30) to a vassal dynasty of Rome, the Polémons (kingdom of the Pont Polémoniaque) with at the beginning Trapézonte for capital. The Kingdom of the Bosphorus keeps its internal autonomy then, but the Roman influence is exerted various ways according to the areas. The son-in-law of Pharnace II, Asandros (or Assandre or Asender, -47/-17 front J.C) seizes the power, but it is détrôné by César which names in its place Mithridate II of Pergame (-47/-45), then, with died of César, it is restored on its throne by Octave, i.e. Auguste (-27 Av.J.C/14 Ap.J.C). His/her son Aspurgos (or Aspurgus, 14 - 38) succeeds to him. He will seek new allies and turns to the Thrace, of which he marries Gepaepyris, the girl of the king Cotys VIII (12 - 19) and grand-daughter by his mother, Antonia Tryphaena, of Polémon {{Ier}} of the Bridge. He also signs, in 14, a first treaty of friendship with the Roman Emperor Tibère (14 - 37), then a second little time after (according to Natwoka). These treaties urge the kings of the Bosphorus to recognize like their sovereigns the Roman Emperors. Its two sons Claudius Mithridate III and Julius Cotys 1st succeed to him.

The first to seize the power is Mithridate III (39 - 45 or 41 - 45). With died of Tibère in 37, Caligula (37 - 41), the new Roman emperor , wants to reunify the Pontus and the kingdom of the Bosphorus under the supervision of the king of the Bridge Polémon II of the Bridge. But the inhabitants of the Bosphorus rebel, not wanting a king foreign (38). That pushes the emperor Claude (41 - 54), successor of Caligula, to give up the project of reunification. Polémon II then decides to attack the Bosphorus, but its action is thwarted by Rome, and Mithridate is confirmed on its throne, while the Cilicie is given to him in compensation. Peace, following the decision of the emperor Claude, is of short duration. New discords appear, but this time between Mithridate and the Romans, Mithridate wanting to break the treaty the binder with them. According to Dion Cassius (Roman History), it would have even prepared a military offensive against Rome, but would have been betrayed by his brother Cotys {{Ier}}. The Romans must dispatch an army in Chersonèse and in 44, the Légat of Mésie, Didius Gallus, is sent to Panticapée with troops.

Mithridate is beaten, it must flee its capital, and his/her brother Cotys 1st Tibérius Julius (45 - 62 or 63) is proclaimed king of the Bosphorus. Didius Gallus sets out again then towards Rome, leaving in Panticapée only some men under the orders of Julius Aquila. Mithridate benefits from the situation to try to take again its kingdom. It gathers partisans and with the support of the Siraces (tribe sarmate), walk on the capital. Cotys 1st and Aquila, in numerical inferiority, pass then alliance with the Aorses (another tribe), the traditional enemies of Siraces. This coalition carries it and Mithridate, overcome, must again escape. Then it chooses to go to the king of Aorses, Eunonès, but the Claude emperor makes it take along in captivity to Rome. Cotys 1st, after the victory over his/her brother, accentuates his relationship with the Romans who give him the name Tibérius Julius Cotys. At the time of his reign, one can attend an important surge of Aorses in the kingdom.

His/her son Rhescuporis {{Ier}} Tibérius Julius (or Rascouporis 1st or Rescupore 1st, 68 - 92) succeeds to him, but only in 68, because of a five years interregnum during which Rome annexes the kingdom. He marries Eunice and has a child, Sauromatès {{Ier}} Tibérius Julius (93 - 123 or 124), which is its successor. He is contemporary Roman Emperors Trajan (98 - 117) and Hadrian (117 - 138). The period which follows, until the end of the kingdom, is rather vague. Sauromatès is the name of several kings of the Bosphorus Cimmérien, who for the majority are known only by their coins. Those more generally represent the head on the reigning Roman Emperor and the other side that of the king of the Bosphorus. Starting from this report, the specialists try to define the chronology of the following kings, which very approximate and is very discussed; moreover, it seems that there were joint reigns.

Cotys II Tibérius Julius (123 or 124 - 132) wire of Sauromatès 1st goes up on the throne, then his/her son Rhoémétalkès {{Ier}} Tibérius Julius (or Rhoémétalcès or Rhoematelces, one can still find other manners of writing this name), 132 - 154), then Eupator Tibérius Julius (154 - 174), sons of Rhoémétalkès 1st and his/her brother, Sauromatès II Tibérius Julius (174 - 210), which die shortly after a victory over a coalition of Sarmates, Scythian Siraces and . His/her son Rhescuporis II Tibérius Julius (211 - 228) succeeds to him, then the son of this one Cotys III Tibérius Julius (228 - 233) for a very short and joint reign with his brother Sauromatès III Tibérius Julius (229 - 232). Rhescuporis III Tibérius Julius (233 - 235 or 240) the son of Cotys III is the following king, reigning jointly with his/her uncle Ininthimaios Tibérius Julius (234 - 238), brother of Cotys III. Rhescuporis IV Tibérius Julius follows (240 - 262 or 240 - 253) which is the son of Rhescuporis III. It must yield with the commands of the Boranes and the Goths, which invade the kingdom, and leave them the use of the ports, from where share for raids of piracy in Asia Mineure floats to them.

Rhescuporis IV has a child Teiranès Tibérius Julius (or Tiranès or Teinarès, 262 - 278) who succeeds to him. Teiranès gains a victory against the Goths, but at the end of the reign it must face an applicant, his brother Sauromatès IV Tibérius Julius (275 - 276), and reign jointly with him. Under its reign the relations with Rome are degraded and of the fixings take place between the two States. He marries Aelia and he has a son Thothorsès Tibérius Julius (or Phophorsès, 278 - 307) who is the following king. During the reign of Thothorsès, certain Sauromatès, wire of Criscoronès, raise an army with the assistance of Sarmates, which live close to the Mer of Azov, and attack initially the Pontus, in 291, then the Bosphorus and its capital. Thothorsès pushes back it and Sauromatès is obliged, in 292, to sign peace. Oliotès Tibérius Julius (or Oliotos or Oligotos or Olympios or Uhlatos, 307 - 309), wire of Thothorsès, succeeds to him. His/her Nana daughter marries the king of Ibérie Mirian III (or Mihran III, 284 - 345). Follow his/her brothers, the kings, Sauromatès V (308 - 312) and Rhadamsadès (or Rhadamsadius, 309 - 318 or 323), which according to some specialists (whose Nadel) would not be legitimate dynasty of the kings of the Bosphorus. They bear an Iranian name and use a writing Sarmate on their currency. Perhaps the throne of the Bosphorus was thus occupied by foreign kings. Then Rhescuporis V (or VI if one takes account of the brother of Teinerès, 318 - 336 or 309 - 336), wire of Oliotès, arrives the capacity, to some specialists making begin his reign in 309; it would thus have had a common reign with his uncle Rhadamsadès. In 335, the kingdom is conquered by the Ostrogoths and Rhescuporis V is killed by defending its kingdom which will die out with him. It is to be noticed that, during all the Greek history, a Net contrast separates the Greek inscriptions concerning the kings from the Bosphorus and the writings of the speakers of the time: whereas Eschine speaks “tyrants”, inscriptions referent with them like “archontes” or “dynastes” of the Bosphorus…

List kings

Spartacides dynasty

Spartokos {{Ier}} (438-431)
Séleucos (431-391)
Satyros {{Ier}} (431-387)
Leucon {{Ier}} (387-348)
Spartokos II (348-344)
Pairisadès {{Ier}} (348-310)
Satyros II (310-309)
Prytanis (310)

Eumèlos (309-304) usurping

Spartokos III (304-283)
Pairisadès II (283-245)
Spartokos IV (245-215)
Leucon II (215-?)
Pairisadès III (215-190)
Pairisadès IV (190-160)

Pharnace I (king of the Bridge, 184-156) usurping

Spartokos V Philometôr (160-150)
Leucon III
Pairisadès V (124-109)

occupation of the kingdom by the Scythian of king Saumokos

Various and Odrysse

Mithridate VI -1st (king of the Bridge, 108-63)
Pharnace II (63-47)
Mithridate II of Pergame (47-45)
Dynamis (45.av. J. - C. with 8.ap. J. - C.) queen, girl of Pharnace II

Asandros Ier (45-17) first husband

Scribonius (15-14) usurping, 2nd husband of Dynamis

Polémon {{Ier}} of the Bridge (14-8.av. J. - C.) 3rd husband of Dynamis

Tibérius Julius Aspurgos (8.ap. J.C - 38) wire of Asandros and Dynamis
Gepaepyris (38-39) queen marries of Aspurgos and little girl of Polémon Ier
Polémon II of the Bridge (38-39) grandson of Polémon Ier
Claudius Mithridate III (39-45) or (41-45) wire of Aspurgos
Tiberius Julius Cotys {{Ier}} (45-62) brother of the precedent
Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis {{Ier}} (68-92)
T.J Sauromatès {{Ier}} (93-124)
T.J Cotys II (124-132)
T.J Rhoémétalkès {{Ier}} (132-154)
T.J Eupator (154-174)
Sauromatès II (174-210)
T.J Rhescuporis II (211-228)
T.J Cotys III (228-233)
Sauromatès III (229-232)
Rhescuporis III (233-240)

Ininthimaios (234-238 usurper

Rhescuporis IV (240-262)
T.J Teiranès (262-278)
Sauromatès IV (275-276)
Thothorsès (278-307)
Oliotos or Oliotès (307-309)
Sauromatès V (308-312)
Rhadamsadès (309-318)
Rhescuporis V (318-336)

Description

In 1788, the abbot Jean-Jacques Barthélemy published one entitled book Voyage of the Anacharsis young person in Greece in the medium of the {{IVe}} century , where it wrote with a care meticulous person a description of all the territories which its hero crosses, a young Scythian. At the beginning of its voyage, at the beginning of the year -363, this one precisely crosses the Bosphorus Cimmérien, in order to reach the Euxine Sea. Here alive description that the abbot gives some (as well as the notes extremely érudites that it adds to it):

Towards the end of the first year of the 104ème Olympiad, I left with Timagène to which I had just returned freedom. After having crossed vast lonelinesses, we arrived on the edges of Tanaïs, close to the place where it is thrown in a species of sea, known under the name of Lac or of Palus Méotide. There, being embarked us, we went to the town of Panticapée, located on a height, towards the entry of the strait which one names the Bosphorus Cimmérien, and which joint the lake in the Euxine Sea. This city where the Greeks established a colony formerly, became the capital of a small empire which extends on the Eastern coast from Chersonèse Taurique. Leucon had reigned there for approximately 30 years. It was a prince splendid and generous, who more once had dissipated conspiracies, and gained victories by its courage and its skill. We did not see it: it was with the head of its army. Some time before, those of Héraclée in Bithynie had been presented with a powerful fleet, to try a descent in its states. Leucon realizing that its troops were opposed slightly to the project of the enemy, placed behind them a body of Scythians, with order to charge them, if they had cowardice to move back. One quoted of him a word of which I still shiver. Its favorites, by false charges, had drawn aside several of his/her friends, and had seized their goods. He realized some finally; and one of them having ventured a new denouncement: “Unhappy, he says him, I would make you die, so of the scélérats such as you were not necessary to the despots.

Chersonèse Taurique produced of corn in abundance: the ground, hardly effleurée by the plow shear, returns thirty for one there. The Greeks make a so big business there, that the king had seen himself forced to open in Théodosie, another city of the Bosphorus, a port able to contain 100 vessels. The Athéniens merchants approached as a crowd, either in this place, or in Panticapée. They paid no right there, neither of entry, nor of exit; and the republic, by recognition, had put this prince and his children at the number of its citizens.

We found a vessel of Lesbos close putting at the veil. Cléomède, which ordered it, agree to take to us on his edge. Waiting for the day of the departure, I was, I came; I could not satisfy me to re-examine the citadel, the arsenal, the port, the vessels, their tackles, their operations; I entered randomly the houses of the private individuals, manufactures, the least shops; I left the city, and my eyes remained fixed on fruit orchards covered, on campaigns enriched by harvests. My feelings were sharp, my animated accounts. I could not feel sorry for me not to have not witnesses of my happiness; I spoke about it with everyone: all that struck me, I ran to announce it in Timagène, like a discovery for him, like me; I asked to him whether the lake Méotide were not largest of the seas; if Panticapée were not the most beautiful city of the universe. In the course of my voyages, and especially at the beginning, I tested similar emotions, all the times that nature or industry offered new objects to me; and when they were made to raise the heart, my admiration needed to be relieved by tears which I could not retain, or by excesses of joy that Timagène could not moderate. In the continuation, my surprise, while weakening, made disappear the pleasures of which it was the source; and I saw with sorrow, that we lose side of the feelings, which we gain on the side of the expérience.

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