Eumelus of Bosporus

Eumelus
Eumelus
King of the Bosporan Kingdom
Reign	309–304 BC
Predecessor	Prytanis
Successor	Spartocus III
Born	Unknown, sometime before 320 BC; Panticapaeum
Died	304 BC; Bosporan Kingdom
Issue	Spartocus III
Greek	Εύμηλος
House	Spartocid
Father	Paerisades I
Mother	Comosarye
Religion	Greek polytheism

Eumelus of Bosporus ([Εύμηλος] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= (help), fl. 309–304 BC) was a Spartocid ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom and a son of Paerisades.^[1] Eumelus was the brother of Satyrus II (not to be confused with his great-grandfather, Satyrus I, another Bosporan ruler) and Prytanis.

He and his brothers engaged in a conflict for the throne, which the eldest brother, Satyrus, had inherited from their father.^[2]

Civil war

Shortly after his brother Satyrus became ruler, Eumelus became a pretender to the throne with the backing of Aripharnes, a ruler of the Sarmatian tribe of Siraces from whom he solicited aid. When Satyrus learned of this, he immediately went after Eumelos with his army and crossed the River Thatis to wage war on his brother. Eumelus was defeated by him at the Battle of the River Thatis. He and Aripharnes were forced to retreat to Siracena.^[3] Satyrus and his army followed his brother to the city, but could not take it as it was surrounded by the River Thatis, leaving two heavily guarded entrances as the only means of ingress.^[4] After a four-day siege, Satyrus died while fighting against Aripharnes at the main entryway.^[5] Meniscus, Satyrus' mercenary captain, took Satyrus' body back to Panticapaeum for a royal burial and ended the siege. Prytanis, the younger brother, assumed the title of ruler and continued Satyros' war against Eumelus. Eumelus appealed to his brother to split the kingdom between them, but Prytanis rejected the proposal, marching against his brother. The two fought a battle which Eumelus won near the Maeotic Lake. Prytanis was spared by his brother but soon he waged war against Eumelus again and was killed.^[6]

Reuniting the kingdom and expansion

To fully establish himself, Eumelus had the families and friends of his brothers killed. The citizens of Panticapaeum were displeased at the killing of their friends, so Eumelos gathered them to an open assembly in which he defended himself and also offered immunity from taxes for those that lived in the city.^[7]

He enacted several reforms, as well as the recruitment of more Greeks into the Bosporan military, who had previously only provided a small number of its forces, the rest being Sarmatians.^[8] He also reinforced the Bosporan fleet, to deal with the pirates and strengthen their trade routes.^[9]

Eumelus then proceeded to show kindness to other Greek cities that were in the Black Sea and gave refuge to 1,000 refugees from the city of Callantia who were driven out by Lysimachus.^[10] Eumelos led a series of campaigns against pirates in the eastern regions of the Black Sea—most likely the Tauri, the Heniochi and several others—and was able to destroy them.^[11] He also took back the settlement of Tanais, which was abandoned due to continuous sieges from local tribes^[12] and made his kingdom large enough to rival that of Lysimachus.^[13]

Death

As he hurried his way back from Sindia to his palace for a sacrifice in a four-horse wheeled carriage, the horses became scared. The driver was unable to control them, so Eumelus jumped out of the carriage, but his sword became caught on the wheel and he was dragged along by the carriage and died.^[14] He was succeeded by his son Spartocus III.

References

^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. after the death of Parysades, who was king of the Cimmerian Bosporus, his sons Eumelus, Satyrus, and Prytanis...
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. Satyrus, since he was the eldest, had received the government from his father
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. Aripharnes and Eumelus, however, after having been defeated in the battle, escaped to the capital city.
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. This was situated on the Thates River, which made the city rather difficult of access since the river encircled it and was of considerable depth. T
^ Polyaenus. Strategems. Satyrus is killed while attacking Aripharnes, king of the Siraces
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24.
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23.
^ Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. He also strengthened the military forces by recruiting more Greeks from the urban centers, who provided by then only a limited number of men in the royal army.
^ Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. Eumelos used the Bosporan fleet against them, which he reinforced
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24.
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24. and he cleared the sea of pirates, with the result that, not only throughout his own kingdom but even throughout almost all the inhabited world
^ Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. Eumelos' main land campaign was the recapture of the territory of the old Miletian colony Tanais at the mouth of the great river Tanais (modern Don), which was abandoned because of the barbaric pressure
^ Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. thereby creating a powerful Hellenistic kingdom which could confront the powerful State of Lysimachus, the famous general of Alexander the Great
^ Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24.

[1] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. after the death of Parysades, who was king of the Cimmerian Bosporus, his sons Eumelus, Satyrus, and Prytanis...

[2] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. Satyrus, since he was the eldest, had received the government from his father

[3] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. Aripharnes and Eumelus, however, after having been defeated in the battle, escaped to the capital city.

[4] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23. This was situated on the Thates River, which made the city rather difficult of access since the river encircled it and was of considerable depth. T

[5] Polyaenus. Strategems. Satyrus is killed while attacking Aripharnes, king of the Siraces

[6] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24.

[7] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.23.

[8] Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. He also strengthened the military forces by recruiting more Greeks from the urban centers, who provided by then only a limited number of men in the royal army.

[9] Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. Eumelos used the Bosporan fleet against them, which he reinforced

[10] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24.

[11] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24. and he cleared the sea of pirates, with the result that, not only throughout his own kingdom but even throughout almost all the inhabited world

[12] Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. Eumelos' main land campaign was the recapture of the territory of the old Miletian colony Tanais at the mouth of the great river Tanais (modern Don), which was abandoned because of the barbaric pressure

[13] Deligiannis, Periklis. The Battle of the River Thatis. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-03-24. thereby creating a powerful Hellenistic kingdom which could confront the powerful State of Lysimachus, the famous general of Alexander the Great

[14] Diodorus Siculus. Book 22.24.

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v t e 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) Spartokos V [ru] 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

v t e 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 [ru] 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.

Eumelus of Bosporus

Civil war

Reuniting the kingdom and expansion

Death

See also

References