| Mithridates I of Pontus Mithridates III of Cius | |
|---|---|
| Basileus | |
| King of Pontus | |
| Reign | 281 BC - 266 BC |
| Predecessor | (Creator of Title) |
| Successor | Ariobarzanes of Pontus |
| Ruler ofCius | |
| Predecessor | Mithridates II of Cius |
| Successor | None |
| Born | Mid 330s BC |
| Died | 266 BC |
| Issue | Ariobarzanes of Pontus |
| Dynasty | Mithridatic |
| Father | Mithridates II of Cius |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Pontus |
| Rank | Basileus |
| Battles / wars |
|
Mithridates I Ctistes (Greek:Mιθριδάτης Kτίστης; reigned 281–266 BC), also known asMithridates III of Cius,[1] was aPersian nobleman and thefounder (this is the meaning of the wordCtistes, literallyBuilder) of theKingdom of Pontus inAnatolia.[2][3]
Mithridates is said to have been of the same age asDemetrios Poliorketes, which means he was born in the mid-330s BC. In 302 or 301 BC, shortly after having executed the young man's father and predecessorMithridates II of Cius, thediadochAntigonus became suspicious of the son who had inherited the family dominion ofCius, and planned to kill the boy. Mithridates, however, received fromDemetrius Poliorketes timely notice of Antigonus's intentions, and fled with a few followers toPaphlagonia, where he occupied a strong fortress, calledCimiata.
He was joined by numerous bodies of troops from different quarters and gradually extended his dominions in Pontus and created the foundations for the birth of a new kingdom, which may be judged to have risen about 281 BC when Mithridates assumed the title ofbasileus (king).[4][5][6] In the same year, we find him concluding an alliance with the town ofHeraclea Pontica inBithynia, to protect it againstSeleucus.[7]
At a subsequent period, Mithridates is found acquiring support from theGauls (who later settled in Asia Minor) in order to overthrow a force sent against him byPtolemy, king ofPtolemaic Egypt.[8] These are the recorded events of his reign, which lasted for thirty-six years.[9] He was succeeded by his sonAriobarzanes. He seems to have been buried in a royal grave near the kingdom's capital,Amasia. Next to him would be buried all the kings of Pontus until the fall ofSinope in 183 BC.
According toAppian,[10] he was eighth in descent from the first satrap of Pontus underDarius the Great and sixth in ascending order fromMithridates Eupator. However, this point is controversial sincePlutarch[6] writes that eight generations of kings of Pontus stemmed from him before Roman subjection.
Mithridates III of Cius fled to Paphlagonia after his father was killed by Antigonus and after he defeated certain Seleucid forces. In 281 BCE he became the first king of the Pontic dynasty and thus acquired the name "Ktistes", founder.
In 302 Mithridates II fell under suspicion of conspiring with Cassander against Antigonus and was killed near Cius. His son Mithridates III of Cius inherited the dynasty, but was warned by his friend Demetrius that he too was in danger from Antigonus and fled to Paphlagonia. Here he ruled for thirty six years (302-266) at some stage proclaiming himself Mithridates Ctistes, founder of the kingdom of Pontus and the line of Pontic kings.
A Persian nobleman named Mithridates "the Founder" established himself as king of Pontus during the late fourth century B.C.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Mithridates".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 2. p. 1095.
| Preceded by – | King of Pontus 281–266 BC | Succeeded by |