Paerisades I

Paerisades I
Paerisades I
King of the Bosporan Kingdom and All Maeotians
Reign	347-309 BC
Predecessor	Spartokos II
Successor	Satyros II
Born	circa 365 BC; Panticapaeum
Died	309 BC; Bosporan Kingdom
Consort	Komosarye
Issue	Satyros II; Eumelos; Prytanis; Gorgippos II; Akis;
Greek	Παιρισάδης
House	Spartocid
Father	Leukon I
Mother	Theodosia
Religion	Greek polytheism

Paerisades I (Greek: Παιρισάδης) also known as Birisades, Pairisades, and Parysades was a Spartocid king of the Bosporan Kingdom from 342 to 310/9 BC.

His father was Leukon I, a Bosporan king who was responsible for establishing and expanding the kingdom from a mere hegemony centred around the city of Panticapaeum to a large Hellenistic kingdom in the Cimmerian Bosporus.

Reign

Paerisades was born to Leukon and a mother perhaps named Theodosia, although this is still unknown as there is no evidence of her being his mother. He was co-regent with Spartokos II when he ascended the throne, ruling as a governor over the minor parts of the kingdom, such as Theodosia,^[1] due to him not being the eldest. Paerisades became sole ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom after his elder brother Spartokos died in 342 BC after ruling for five years, from 347 to 342 BC.

At some point during his reign, Paerisades possibly married his cousin Komosarye, a daughter of his uncle Gorgippos,^[2] and they had four sons: Satyros II, likely named after his grandfather Satyros I, Eumelos, Gorgippos II,^[3] also perhaps named after Komosarye's father and Paerisades' uncle, and Prytanis. Also he had the daughter Akis. Through this marriage, he became king of the Sindians. Paerisades may have had the epithet "Epiphanes", which means "god-manifest", or perhaps "Theos", meaning "god", due to his people often praising him as divine and honouring him as a god.^[4]

In combat, Paerisades wore three outfits for three occasions.^[5] He wore one outfit when reviewing his troops, another when he was in battle, and lastly, he wore one when he was forced to flee from battle.^[6] He did this so that when he was reviewing his troops, he'd be known by everyone; when he was in combat, he wouldn't be known by the enemy; and when he was forced to flee, nobody would know it was him.^[7]

He was also an active military leader, possibly taking Tanais and subjugating many tribes around the Maeotic Swamp and expanding the kingdom more than his father did in the Bosporan Expansion Wars, as well as waging war against the Scythians at some point during his reign.

Death

Paerisades died in 310/09 BC, having ruled around 38 years as Bosporan king. Upon his death, Satyros II, Prytanis, and Eumelos engaged in the Bosporan Civil War because Eumelos had a claim to throne and was allied to Aripharnes while Satyros would not stand for it and waged war against his brother. The victor, Eumelos, greatly expanded the kingdom during his short five-year reign.

References

^ D. E. W. Wormell (1946). "Studies in Greek tyranny—II. Leucon of Bosporus". Hermathena (68): 49–71. JSTOR 23037564. Paerisades, as the younger son, received the less important administrative area of Theodosia as his share
^ D. E. W. Wormell (1946). "Studies in Greek tyranny—II. Leucon of Bosporus". Hermathena (68): 49–71. JSTOR 23037564. when the joining of the two nations had been symbolized in the marriage of Comosarye and Paerisades, he took the title "king of sindi"
^ D. E. W. Wormell (1946). "Studies in Greek tyranny—II. Leucon of Bosporus". Hermathena (68): 49–71. JSTOR 23037564. The incorporation of the Sindian dynasty in the Bosporan ruling house is also shown by recurrence of the name Gorgippus, its bearer being a son of Paerisades."
^ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24. Parisades was actually held in honour as god.
^ Polyaenus. Strategems 6.9.1. Paerisades, king of Pontus, used three distinct outfits of clothing on different occasions
^ Polyaenus. Strategems 6.9.1. one when he reviewed his troops, another in time of battle, and a third when he was forced to take flight
^ Polyaenus. Strategems 6.9.1. at a review, he wished to be known by every individual in his army; in battle, he wished not to be known by the enemy; and when he was forced to take flight, he wished to be known by no-one.

[1] D. E. W. Wormell (1946). "Studies in Greek tyranny—II. Leucon of Bosporus". Hermathena (68): 49–71. JSTOR 23037564. Paerisades, as the younger son, received the less important administrative area of Theodosia as his share

[2] D. E. W. Wormell (1946). "Studies in Greek tyranny—II. Leucon of Bosporus". Hermathena (68): 49–71. JSTOR 23037564. when the joining of the two nations had been symbolized in the marriage of Comosarye and Paerisades, he took the title "king of sindi"

[3] D. E. W. Wormell (1946). "Studies in Greek tyranny—II. Leucon of Bosporus". Hermathena (68): 49–71. JSTOR 23037564. The incorporation of the Sindian dynasty in the Bosporan ruling house is also shown by recurrence of the name Gorgippus, its bearer being a son of Paerisades."

[4] Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24. Parisades was actually held in honour as god.

[5] Polyaenus. Strategems 6.9.1. Paerisades, king of Pontus, used three distinct outfits of clothing on different occasions

[6] Polyaenus. Strategems 6.9.1. one when he reviewed his troops, another in time of battle, and a third when he was forced to take flight

[7] Polyaenus. Strategems 6.9.1. at a review, he wished to be known by every individual in his army; in battle, he wished not to be known by the enemy; and when he was forced to take flight, he wished to be known by no-one.

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v t e Monarchs of the Bosporan Kingdom
Archaeanactid dynasty	Archaeanax Unknown kings
Spartocid dynasty	Spartocus I Satyrus I Seleucus Leucon I Gorgippus Spartocus II Paerisades I Satyrus II Prytanis Eumelus Spartocus III Paerisades II Spartocus IV Leucon II Hygiaenon (regent) Spartokos V [ru] Camasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Spartocus VI Paerisades V
Scythian rule	Saumacus
Mithridatic dynasty	Mithridates I Pharnaces Dynamis with Asander Mithridates II Dynamis with Asander Dynamis Dynamis with Scribonius Dynamis with Polemon I Dynamis
Tiberian-Julian dynasty	Aspurgus (Polemon II) Rhescuporis I Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I Rhescuporis II Sauromates I Cotys II Rhoemetalces Eupator Sauromates II Rhescuporis III Cotys III Sauromates III Rhescuporis IV Chedosbius Ininthimeus Rhescuporis V Pharsanzes Teiranes Sauromates IV Theothorses Rhadamsades Rhescuporis VI

v t e Hellenistic rulers
Argeads	Philip II Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV
Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes
Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)
Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy Keraunos Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Cleopatra I Syra (regent) Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Cleopatra II Philometor Soter Ptolemy VIII Physcon Cleopatra III Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion
Monarchs of Cyrene	Magas Berenice II Demetrius the Fair Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy Apion Cleopatra Selene II
Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Cleopatra Thea Seleucus V Philometor Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Cleopatra Selene I Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus
Lysimachids	Lysimachus Ptolemy Epigonos
Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III
Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I
Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenos Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebius Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II Strato III
Monarchs of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus
Monarchs of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II
Monarchs of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV
Monarchs of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus
Monarchs of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Paerisades I Satyros II Prytanis Eumelos Spartokos III Hygiainon (regent) Paerisades II Spartokos IV Leukon II Spartokos V [ru] Kamasarye Paerisades III Paerisades IV Paerisades V Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon Aspurgus Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I
Monarchs of Epirus	Admetus Tharrhypas Alcetas I Neoptolemus I Arybbas Alexander I Aeacides Neoptolemus II Alcetas II Pyrrhus I Alexander II Olympias II (regent) Pyrrhus II Ptolemy Pyrrhus III Deidamia
Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.