Dyteutus (died AD 34), eldest son of the

Galatia Galatia (; , ''Galatía'') was an ancient area in the highlands of central Anatolia, roughly corresponding to the provinces of Ankara and Eskişehir in modern Turkey. Galatia was named after the Gauls from Thrace (cf. Tylis), who settled here ...

n ruler Adiatorix, was a ruler of Comana, a city in Cappadocia. After the father and his eldest son were sentenced to death by

Octavianus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

for the father's partisanship towards

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 ...

, Dyteutus's younger brother asked to die in his brother's place, claiming that he was in fact the elder son. At first Dyteutus resisted, but was persuaded by his father and mother to go along with the deception, on the grounds that his maturity would secure greater protection for his mother and the other surviving members of his family, and the younger brother was put to death. Some contemporary writers reckon the guilt over this false execution was what led

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

to elevate Dyteutus to rule Comana. After extremely brief intervening reigns by Medeius and the brigand-king

Cleon of Gordiucome Cleon of Gordiucome (), or Cleon the Mysian, was a 1st-century BC brigand-king in Asia Minor. Cleon made a reputation for himself with robbery and marauding warfare in and around Olympus, long occupying the fortress called by ancient geographers C ...

, Dyteutus succeeded

Lycomedes In Greek mythology, Lycomedes (), also known as Lycurgus (mythology), Lycurgus, was the most prominent king of the Dolopians in the island of Skyros, Scyros near Euboea during the Trojan War. Family Lycomedes was the father of seven daughters ...

as priest of the celebrated goddess Bellona, and therefore ruler of Comana. He had a long reign; the temple-state of Comana was annexed to the Roman province of

upon his death in AD 34.

References

{{authority control 1st-century BC births 34 deaths 1st-century BC clergy 1st-century clergy Galatian people Roman client monarchs Priests from the Roman Empire