Aba, Ruler Of Olba
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Aba (flourished
1st century BC The 1st century Before Christ, BC, also known as the last century BC and the last century Common Era , BCE, started on the first day of 100 BC, 100 BC and ended on the last day of 1 BC, 1 BC. The Anno Domini, AD/BC notation does not ...
) was a female
Tyrant A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to ...
ruler of the state of Olba in Ancient
Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
.


Life

She was the daughter of the tyrant (absolute ruler) Zenophanes (or Xenophanes) of the Olba kingdom in
Cilicia Cilicia () is a geographical region in southern Anatolia, extending inland from the northeastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Cilicia has a population ranging over six million, concentrated mostly at the Cilician plain (). The region inclu ...
(present-day Turkey). Her father trained her in politics and she was appointed to the post of priestess prior to her rule. She succeeded her father as tyrant-ruler of Olba where a temple was located of
Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
, founded by Ajax, son of Teucer. At the time when she ascended to the throne, it was uncommon for a woman to rule as tyrant. The exact years of her reign is not known. She reportedly succeeded her father sometime during the years between 43 BC to 39 BC, but it is not known how long she ruled. It is known that she ruled during the
Final War of the Roman Republic The War of Actium (32–30 BC) was the last civil war of the Roman Republic, fought between Mark Antony (assisted by Cleopatra and by extension Ptolemaic Egypt) and Octavian. In 32 BC, Octavian convinced the Roman Senate to declare war on the ...
(32–30 BC), since she is known for her policy during that war. Aba was known for her diplomatic contacts, such that Egyptian ruler
Cleopatra VII Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (; The name Cleopatra is pronounced , or sometimes in both British and American English, see and respectively. Her name was pronounced in the Greek dialect of Egypt (see Koine Greek phonology). She was ...
of Egypt and Roman
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...
conferred Olba upon Aba as a favor. She was their ally during the
Final War of the Roman Republic The War of Actium (32–30 BC) was the last civil war of the Roman Republic, fought between Mark Antony (assisted by Cleopatra and by extension Ptolemaic Egypt) and Octavian. In 32 BC, Octavian convinced the Roman Senate to declare war on the ...
(32–30 BC). She was ultimately deposed, but her descendants ruled over Olba until its definitive incorporation into the Roman Empire.Strabo 14,5,10, p. 672; cited in Walther Ruge: Olbe. In: ''Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft'' (RE). Band XVII,2, Stuttgart, 1937, Sp. 2399–2403, hier Sp. 2400.


Literature

* Johannes Toepffer: ''Aba 4.'' In: ''Pauly's Realencyclopedia of classical antiquity'' (RE). Volume I,1, Stuttgart 1893, column 4. * Walther Ruge: ''Olbe.'' In: ''Pauly's Realencyclopedia of classical antiquity'' (RE). Volume XVII,2, Stuttgart 1937, col. 2399-2403. *


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aba, of Olba 1st-century BC women monarchs Ancient Greek female tyrants 1st-century BC monarchs in the Middle East Ancient priestesses