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Antiochus I Theos Dikaios Epiphanes Philorhomaios Philhellen (Greek: о Αντίοχος Θεός Δίκαιος Επιφανής Φιλορωμαίος Φιλέλλην, c. 86 BC-38 BC, ruled 70 BC-38 BC) also known as Antiochus I Theos of Commagene or Antiochus I, was a king of Commagene and the most famous king of that kingdom (Commagene is now situated in modern South-Eastern Turkey).
Antiochus I was the son and (far as it is known) the only child of King Mithridates I Callinicus and Queen Laodice VII Thea of Commagene. Antiochus was half Parthian and half Greek. Antiochus’ father Mithridates, was the son of king of Commagene Sames II Theosebes Dikaios, while his mother is unknown. Mithridates in descent was related to the kings of Parthia and according fragments of inscribed reliefs found at Mount Nemrut, archaeologists have discovered that Mithridates was a descendant of Persian King Darius I of Persia.
Antiochus’ mother Laodice VII Thea, was a Syrian Greek princess of the Seleucid Empire. Laodice’ father was Syrian Greek King Antiochus VIII Grypus while her mother was Greek Ptolemaic Princess and later Syrian Queen Tryphaena (see Cleopatra VI of Egypt). Thus Antiochus, was a direct descendant of the first Greek Syrian King, Seleucus I Nicator and the first Greek Pharaoh of Egypt, Ptolemy I Soter. Both men were generals that served under the Greek Macedonian King Alexander the Great. Antiochus’ parents had married as apart of a peace alliance between their kingdoms, while his father had embrace the Greek culture. Little is known on his early life. When his father died in 70 BC, Antiochus succeeded his father as king.
While the Roman Republic was annexing territories in Anatolia through skilled diplomacy, Antiochus was able to keep Commagene independent from the Romans. Antiochus is first mentioned in the ancient sources in 69 BC, when the general Lucullus’ campaign against the Armenian King Tigranes.
Antiochus made peace with general Pompey in 64 BC, when Pompey successfully invaded Syria. Antiochus and Pompey then became allies. When Quintus Tullius Cicero was Roman governor of Cilicia in 51 BC, Antiochus provided Cicero with intelligence of the movements of the Parthians. During the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, Antiochus provided troops for Pompey.
In 38 BC a legatus of Triumvir Mark Antony, Publius Ventidius Bassus, after conquering the Parthians wanted to declare war on Antiochus and his kingdom. Mark Antony and Publius Ventidius Bassus were attracted to the treasury and wealth that Commagene had. As Antony and Bassus, were about to declare a siege on Commagene and its capital Samosata, Antiochus made peace with Antony and Bassus.
Antiochus is famous for building the impressive religious sanctuary of Nemrud Dagi or Mount Nemrut. When Antiochus was reigned as king was he creating a royal cult for himself and was preparing to be worshipped after his death. Antiochus was inspired to create his own cult in the Greek form of the religion Zoroastrianism. Antiochus left many Greek inscriptions revealing many aspects of his religion and explaining his purpose of action. In one inscription, Antiochus wrote erecting his tomb in a high and holy place, should be remote from people and should be close to the gods and be in rank with them. Antiochus wanted his body to be preserved for eternity. The gods he worshipped were a syncretism of Greek and Persian deities, some of them were personifications of the Sun, Moon and planets. The monumental effigies had Persian and Greek influences. Persian influences were the clothes, headgear and the colossal state of the deities. While the Greek influences were representation of the gods and showing ancestors of the king. The deities beared Greek features and styles.
Antiochus practised astrology of a very esoteric kind, and laid the basis for a calendrical reform, by linking the Commagene year, which till then had been based on the movements of the Moon, to the Sothic (Star of Sirius) cycle used by the Egyptians as the basis of their calendar. This would suggest that Antiochus was knowledgeable about, if not fully initiated into Hermeticism.
Antiochus’ version of Hermeticism where his remains were buried. His tomb was constructed in a way that religious festivities could happen. Each month Antiochus had two festivities: his birthday which was celebrated on the 10th of each month and his coronation which was celebrated on the 16th of each month. He would allocate funds for these events.
Priests wore traditional Persian robes and adorn all effigies with crowns of gold as worship to the ancestors. The priests would place incense, herbs and sacrifices on the altars. All the citizens and military garrison were invited to the banquets in honor of the illustrious deceased. During feasts, grudging attitudes were forbidden and priests decreed that the people should enjoy themselves, eat and drink wine. Wine was served however, it was allowed to be consumed during the one day festivities. Antiochus created women musicians for the banquets. Antiochus’ tomb was forgotten for centuries, until 1883 when archaeologists from Germany excavated the tomb.
According to the inscriptions found, Antiochus appeared to have been a pius person and had a generous spirit. In another city of the kingdom Arsameia, ruins were found of the royal palace. This palace is known as Eski Vale or Old Castle. In Arsameia, Antiochus has left many inscriptions in Greek of his public works program and how he glorified the city.
Antiochus’ wife is unknown, however he had three children who were a son Mithridates II Philhellen who succeeded Antiochus when he died in 38 BC; another son, Antiochus II of Commagene (he was killed on Emperor Augustus’ orders in 29 BC) and a daughter (whose name is unknown) who married King Orodes II of Parthia.