Commagene, a small kingdom situated on the upper reaches of the Euphrates, is first mentioned in Assyrian records as Neo-Hittite Kummuh and was eventually annexed as an Assyrian province in 708 BC by Sargon II (r.722-705 BC). During the Achaemenid period (550-530 BC), Anatolia was divided into various satrapies.
After the defeat of the Achaemenids at the Battle of Gau-gamela in 331 BC, eastern Anatolia fragmented into a number of small, loosely federated kingdoms. To the southwest lay the two small kingdoms of Commagene and Sophene, separated from each other by the middle Euphrates, with the fertile Melitene plain between them. After the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BC, Anatolia ‘fell’ to the Seleucids.
Ptolemaeus (r.163-130 BC) served as the Seleucid satrap of Commagene between 201-163 BC. When the Seleucid Empire began to disintegrate he revolted and made Commagene an independent kingdom with Samosata its capital. Sames II (r.130-109 BC), son of Ptolemaeus, ordered the construction of the fortress at Samosata. Mithridates-I (r.109-70 BC), son of Sames, married the Syrian princess Laodice VII Thea as part of a peace alliance.
Antiochus-I (c.48; r.70-38 BC), son of Mithridates, submitted to Pompey 64 BC. In 59 BC the Senate gave Antiochus recognition as an ally of Rome. In 38 BC Ventidius Bassus (consul 43 BC) wanted to declare war on Commagene. Antiochus made peace with Antony and Ventidius. Antiochus is famous for building the religious sanctuary of Nemrud Dagi.
Mithridates II (r.38-20 BC), son of Antiochus, personally led his force to Actium in Greece in support of Antony in the war against Octavian, the future Roman emperor Augustus (76; r.31-00-14). After the defeat of Antony, however, Mithridates became a loyal ally to Augustus but had to hand over the province of Syria. In 29 BC Antiochus II, the second son of Antiochus-I, was summoned to Rome and executed by Octavian for having caused the murder of an ambassador. Little is known of Mithridates III (r.20-12 BC), son of Mithridates II.
At the death of Antiochus III (r.12-00-17), son of Mithridates III, the kingdom became unsettled. Embassies were sent to Rome to seek advice from Tiberius (78; r.14-37), who decided to make Commagene a part of the Roman province of Syria. Commagene then remained under Roman rule until Caligula (28; r.37-41) restored the kingdom to Antiochus IV (r.38-72), son of Antiochus III). When Antiochus IV died, Vespasian (69; r.69-79) deposed the dynasty and re-annexed the territory to Syria.
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