Sauromates
(Σαυρομάτης) is the name of several kings of Bosporus, who are for the most part known only from their coins. These bear most commonly the head of the reigning Roman emperor on the one side, and that of the king of Bosporus on the other, in token of the dependent condition of the latter monarchs. From this circumstance we are fortunately enabled to determine, approximately, the period at which the several kings of the name respectively reigned in Bosporus ; but, besides this, many of their coins bear dates which have been ascertained to be computed from an era corresponding with the year B. C. 296, thus enabling us to fix still more accurately their chronology. (See Eckhel. vol. ii. p. 382.)
1. Sauromates I. was contemporary with Augustus and Tiberius : and assumed, in compliment to the latter emperor, the names of Tiberius Julius, which appear on some of his coins. The date on the one annexed, incorrectly copied in the engraving, is ΘΟͅΣ, or 299, which corresponds with A. D. 3: others bear dates as late as the year 310 of the Bosporan era, or A. D. 14. None of those with the titles of Ti. Julius have any dates, and Mionnet considers (apparently without sufficient reason) that these belong to a second king of the name of Sauromates.
According to Eckhel (Ib. p. 375), Pepaepiris was the wife of this Sauromates [Pepaepiris]; but later numismatists consider her as the queen of Mithridates king of Bosporus. It appears probable, also, that the true form of her name is Gepaepiris. (Dumersan, Médailles d'Allier, pp. 64, 66; Mionnet. Suppl. iv. pp. 482, 496.)
2. Sauromates II. was a contemporary of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, and is incidentally mentioned by the younger Pliny as having sent an embassy to the former emperor (Plin. Epp. 10.13, 14, 15). From his coins we learn that he ascended the throne as early as A. D. 91, before the death of Domitian, and that he still occupied 1 it in A. D. 124. The annexed coin, which bears on the obverse the head of Hadrian and the date 413 (A. D. 117), belongs to this Sauromates.
3. Sauromates III. was the successor of Eupator, and must have become king of Bosporus before the death of M. Aurelius. His earliest extant coin bears the head of that emperor, with the date of 474 (A. D. 178). Others have the heads of Commodus, Severus, and Caracalla, the latest date being A. D. 210. His reign must thus have comprised a period of more than thirty-two years. He was succeeded by Rhescuporis III. The annexed coin has the head of Commodus, with the date 475 (A. D. 180). * It must be observed that the years reckoned from the Bosporan era, began in the summer, so that the same date would correspond to two calendar years. As Commodus did not reign alone before the spring of A. D. 180, the above coin cannot have been struck previous to that date.
4. Sauromates IV. was a contemporary of Alexander Severus. His coins bear dates from A. D. 230 to 232. The one annexed has the head of Alexander Severus, and the date 527, or A. D. 231; and it thus appears that his short reign must have intervened between those of Rhescuporis III. and Cotys IV.
5. Sauromates V. was a contemporary of the emperor Probus, as we learn from a coin bearing the date of 572 (A. D. 276). He is very probably identical with the following, though Mionnet considers him to be distinct.
6. Sauromates VI., a contemporary of the emperor Diocletian. No coins are extant of this prince, and our knowledge of his reign is derived solely from Constantine Porphyrogenitus, who informs us that he took advantage of the weakness of the Roman empire to raise a large army among the Sarmatian tribes, with which lie invaded Colchis, ravaged that country and the whole of Pontus, and advanced as far as the river Halys. Here, however, he was met by the Roman general Constantius, who held him in check, while Chrestus, king of Cherson, at the instigation of Diocletian, invaded the kingdom of Bosporus, and actually made himself master of its capital city. Sauromates in consequence found himself obliged to purchase peace and the restitution of his capital, by giving up all his prisoners, as well as abandoning his conquests. This expedition appears to have taken place in A. D. 291. (Const. Porphyrog. de Administ. Imper. 100.53, pp. 244-249, ed. Bonn.)
7. Sauromates VII., a grandson of the preceding, ascended the throne after the accession of Constantine the Great. Being desirous to obliterate the disgrace incurred by the failure of his grandfather in the above expedition, he assembled an army, and invaded the territory of the Chersonites, but was defeated, and compelled to conclude a treaty, by which he ceded a part of his own dominions. (Const. Porphyrog. l.c. pp. 252, 253.)
8. Sauromates VIII. was the last king of Bosporus. His connection with the preceding is not mentioned. But we learn that he renewed the war with the Chersonites, and the two armies met at a place called Caphae. Here it was agreed to refer the issue of the contest to a single combat between Sauromates and Pharnaces, king of Cherson, in which Sauromates, though greatly superior in strength and stature, was vanquished and slain by his antagonist. From this time the kingdom of Bosporus became subject to the rulers of Cherson. The date of these events is unfortunately unknown to us. (Const. Porphyrog. l.c. pp. 253, 255.)
There are no coins extant of any of these three last princes. Concerning the kings of Bosporus, and their coins in general, see Cary, Hist. des Rois da Bosphore Cimmerien, 4to. Paris, 1752 ; Eckhel, vol. ii. pp. 373-382; Dumersan, Descr. des Médailles du Cabinet de M. Allier de Hauteroche, 4to. Paris, 1829, pp. 63-66; Mionnet, Suppl. vol. iv. p. 479, &c. [E.H.B]
(Σαυρομάτης). The name of several kings of Bosporus who are known for the most part only from their coins, which are of the period from Augustus to Constantine.