Ariarathes I of Cappadocia

Ariarathes
Coin of Ariarathes I, minted in Gaziura, dated 333–322 BC
Satrap of Northern Cappadocia
In office 340s BC – 331 BC
Preceded by	Ariamnes I
Succeeded by	Himself (as King of Cappadocia)
King of Cappadocia
In office 331 BC – 322 BC
Preceded by	Himself (as Satrap of Northern Cappadocia)
Succeeded by	Vacant (title next held by Ariarathes II
Personal details
Born	405/4 BC
Died	322 BC
Relatives	Achaemenid Empire (until 331 BC) Kingdom of Cappadocia (until 322 BC)
Battles/wars	Battle of Gaugamela

Ariarathes I (

Ariarathes was eventually captured and executed in 322 BC by the Macedonian Perdiccas. His territory was seized, whereafter it was contested between several of Alexander's successors and former generals. However, Ariarathes's dynastic successors regained control over Cappadocia in 301 BC and ruled over the kingdom until 96 BC when they were deposed by the Roman Republic.

Name

"Ariarathes" is the

Map depicting the Achaemenid Empire in c. 500 BC, by William Robert Shepherd

(1923)

Anachronistic painting of the Battle of Gaugamela by Jan Brueghel the Elder

(1602)

In 323 BC, following the death of Alexander, Cappadocia was granted to Eumenes,^[20] but he was unable to dislodge Ariarathes and consolidate his hold, as Cappadocia had not been properly subjugated by Alexander. This situation was exacerbated by Eumenes' failure to obtain support from the other Macedonian satraps.^[21] He then turned to Perdiccas, regent of the incumbent Macedonian ruler Philip III Arrhidaeus (r. 323–317 BC), who, needing to bring more loyal governors to his side, agreed to assist Eumenes in capturing Ariarathes's domain.^[22] In the summer of 322 BC, Perdiccas, the royal court, and the battle-hardened royal Macedonian army entered Cappadocia.^[23] Ariarathes, who was reputed to be quite wealthy, apparently managed to muster a force composed of locals and mercenaries to face Perdiccas,^[24] but was defeated and captured. He and most of his family members were crucified that same year.^[25]

Coinage

Coin of Ariarathes I, minted in Sinope

, dated 333–322 BC

Coins of Ariarathes minted at Sinope stylistically resemble Greek issues from the same city, but feature Ariarathes's name in Aramaic.[33] On the obverse of the Sinope issues, the head of the local nymph Sinope is depicted wearing a sphendone within a border of dots.^[34] On the reverse, an eagle with wings aloft a dolphin is depicted, under which is inscribed Ariarathes's name.^[35]

Successors

A few years after the death of Ariarathes I, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, a former general of Alexander, executed Eumenes and seized control of Cappadocia.^[36] Control of the region then passed to Lysimachus (r. 306–281 BC), King of Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedon, but was captured thereafter by Seleucus I Nicator (r. 305–281), Basileus of the Seleucid Empire,^[37] both of whom were Diadochi ("successors") of Alexander. Southern Cappadocia, deemed more strategically important to the Seleucids than its northern counterpart, spent a brief period under Seleucid control.^[38] Then, in about 301 BC, around the time of the Battle of Ipsus, Ariarathes I's nephew Ariarathes II managed to restore Ariarathid control over Southern Cappadocia with Armenian military assistance.^[39] Ariarathes II subsequently ruled Southern Cappadocia under Seleucid suzerainty.^[40]

After the deaths of Lysimachus and Seleucus, Northern Cappadocia, once held by Ariarathes I, was incorporated into the

References

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