Gepaepyris ( el, Γηπαίπυρις, flourished 1st century) was a

Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...

princess, and a Roman Client Queen of the

Bosporan Kingdom The Bosporan Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus (, ''Vasíleio toú Kimmerikoú Vospórou''), was an ancient Greco-Scythian state located in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus, ...

, the longest known surviving Roman Client Kingdom. She ruled in AD 37/38–39. Gepaepyris was the first daughter and was among the children of Roman Client Rulers of Thrace, Cotys III and

Antonia Tryphaena Antonia Tryphaena also known as Tryphaena of Thrace or Tryphaena (her name in Greek: ἡ Ἀντωνία Τρύφαινα or Τρυφαίνη, 10 BC – 55 AD) was a Pontian Princess and a Roman Client Queen of Thrace. She co-ruled with her son ...

. Her maternal grandparents were Polemon Pythodoros and Pythodorida of Pontus, while her paternal grandparents were

Rhoemetalces I Rhoemetalces I (Sapaean) ( grc, Ῥοιμητάλκης) was king of the Sapaean kingdom of Thrace from 15 BC to 12 AD. He was king of Odrysian kingdom of Thrace in succession to his nephew Rhescuporis II (Astaean). Rhoemetalces I was a loya ...

and Pythodoris I of Thrace. Her maternal grandmother was the first grandchild of Roman Triumvir

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the au ...

. Gepaepyris was related to various members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Gepaepyris was of

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

and

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

descent. Gepaepyris is not mentioned by any ancient literary sources. What is known of this

princess has come from surviving inscriptions from the

, the ancient Greek city of

Cyzicus Cyzicus (; grc, Κύζικος ''Kúzikos''; ota, آیدینجق, ''Aydıncıḳ'') was an ancient Greek town in Mysia in Anatolia in the current Balıkesir Province of Turkey. It was located on the shoreward side of the present Kapıdağ Peni ...

(modern

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

) and numismatic evidence. Cyzicus became the second residence for her family, where Gepaepyris grew up. From coins we know, her royal title was Queen Gepaepyris. Little is known on the life of Gepaepyris. She married the Roman Client King of the

Tiberius Julius Aspurgus Tiberius Julius Aspurgus Philoromaios ( el, Τιβέριος Ἰούλιος Ἀσποῦργoς Φιλορωμαῖος, 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 Bosp ...

, who was of

and Iranian ancestry. Aspurgus was the son of Bosporan Queen Dynamis from her first marriage to General and Bosporan King

Asander Asander or Asandros ( el, Άσανδρoς; lived 4th century BC) was the brother of Parmenion and Agathon, and uncle of Philotas. He was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great, and satrap of Lydia from 334 BC as well as satrap of Caria ...

. Gepaepyris seems to have been the only child from the family of Cotys VIII and Antonia Tryphaena to have children. Gepaepyris bore Aspurgus two sons: *

Tiberius Julius Mithridates Tiberius Julius Mithridates Philogermanicus Philopatris, ''Philopatris'' means "lover of his country" also known as Mithridates III of the Bosporus (fl. 41 AD, died 68 AD), was a Roman client king of the Bosporus. Ancestry Mithridates was t ...

- he was named in honor of Mithridates VI of Pontus, and died in 68. *

Tiberius Julius Cotys I Tiberius Julius Cotys I Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes, ''Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes'' means "lover of Caesar, lover of Rome who is the pious one" ''Philopatris'' means "lover of his country" also known as Cotys I of the Bosporus ( fl. 4 ...

- he was named in honor of his late maternal grandfather, Cotys VIII. Through Cotys I, Gepaepyris and Aspurgus had various descendants ruling the Bosporan Kingdom until the mid-4th century. These included descendants that bore Thracian ancestral monarch names such as Cotys, Rhoemetalces and Rhescuporis. Aspurgus headed the Bosporan domain until his death in 37 or 38. On his death Aspurgus left his wife Gepaepyris, and two sons, Mithridates and Cotys. Gepaepyris succeeded her husband as sole ruler. Coins of Gepaepyris prove her sole rule in Bosporus. There is no mention of Mithridates, and Gepaepyris herself is represented on the obverse as a ruler in full authority. In AD 39 Mithridates inherited the throne of his mother.

References

External links

Coinage of Gepaepyris

Sources

*http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/bosporos/kings/i.html *http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower01.htm *https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001107/http://www.tyndalehouse.com/Egypt/ptolemies/cleopatra_vii_fr.htm *H. Temporini & W. Haase, Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt: Geschichte und Kultur Roms im Spiegel der neueren Forschung, Walter de Gruyter, 1980 {{Hellenistic rulers 1st-century women rulers 1st-century monarchs in Europe Rulers of the Bosporan Kingdom Ancient princesses Roman client rulers Thracian women

See also

References

External links

Sources