Socrates Chrestus
Encyclopedia
Socrates Chrestus was a Greek
Prince and King of Bithynia
.
Socrates was the second son born to the Monarchs Nysa and Nicomedes III of Bithynia
. He had a sister called Nysa and his eldest brother was his father’s heir Nicomedes IV of Bithynia
. He was born and raised in Bithynia and his mother's maternal uncle was King Mithridates VI of Pontus
.
Socrates was a popular prince with the citizens of Bithynia. He received the surname Chrestus because he was peaceful and lamented in his personality.
The father of Socrates, Nicomedes III died in c. 94 BC and his brother Nicomedes IV became King. In the first few years of the rule of Nicomedes III was relatively peaceful. Socrates unfortunately fell under the evil influence of Mithridates VI and he persuaded his great-nephew to assert his claim to the Bithynian throne in opposition to Nicomedes IV. Mithridates VI sent an assassin named Alexander to murder Nicomedes IV, but his plot failed.
Mithridates VI formed an alliance with Socrates. As a part of the alliance, Mithridates VI betrothed or married Socrates to his daughter Orsabaris
, thus Mithridates VI was maintaining indirect control of the Kingdom of Bithynia.
Then Mithridates VI gave Socrates to command a Pontian army and he invaded Bithynia with the support of Mithridates VI with his army. As Socrates marched across the countryside of Bithynia, he eventually approached the capital of Bithynia, Nicomedia
. As he approached the capital, Nicomedes IV barricaded himself inside of his castle.
Socrates with the Pontian army defeated the army of Nicomedes IV and he was forced to flee to Italy
. Socrates became King of Bithynia and probably assumed the name Memnon Nicomedes which he is also known by. Nicomedes IV with the support of the Roman Senate
declared war against Socrates; eventually Nicomedes IV had a military victory and due to Rome’s influence in the region Nicomedes IV was restored to the Bithynian throne as King in 90 BC.
Socrates became a political exile and fled to the court of Mithridates VI. Mithridates VI was not prepared to brave the power of Rome and found this opportunity to not only support Socrates, but even put to him to death.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
Prince and King of Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
.
Socrates was the second son born to the Monarchs Nysa and Nicomedes III of Bithynia
Nicomedes III of Bithynia
Nicomedes III Euergetes was the king of Bithynia, from c. 127 BC to c. 94 BC. He was the son and successor of Nicomedes II of Bithynia by an unnamed woman....
. He had a sister called Nysa and his eldest brother was his father’s heir Nicomedes IV of Bithynia
Nicomedes IV of Bithynia
Nicomedes IV Philopator, was the king of Bithynia, from c. 94 BC to 74 BC. He was the first son and successor of the Monarchs Nicomedes III of Bithynia and Nysa and had a sister called Nysa....
. He was born and raised in Bithynia and his mother's maternal uncle was King Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
.
Socrates was a popular prince with the citizens of Bithynia. He received the surname Chrestus because he was peaceful and lamented in his personality.
The father of Socrates, Nicomedes III died in c. 94 BC and his brother Nicomedes IV became King. In the first few years of the rule of Nicomedes III was relatively peaceful. Socrates unfortunately fell under the evil influence of Mithridates VI and he persuaded his great-nephew to assert his claim to the Bithynian throne in opposition to Nicomedes IV. Mithridates VI sent an assassin named Alexander to murder Nicomedes IV, but his plot failed.
Mithridates VI formed an alliance with Socrates. As a part of the alliance, Mithridates VI betrothed or married Socrates to his daughter Orsabaris
Orsabaris
Orsabaris, also spelt as Orsobaris was a Princess from the Kingdom of Pontus.Orsabaris was of Greek Macedonian and Persian ancestry. She was the youngest daughter born to King Mithridates VI of Pontus from an unnamed concubine of Mithridates VI...
, thus Mithridates VI was maintaining indirect control of the Kingdom of Bithynia.
Then Mithridates VI gave Socrates to command a Pontian army and he invaded Bithynia with the support of Mithridates VI with his army. As Socrates marched across the countryside of Bithynia, he eventually approached the capital of Bithynia, Nicomedia
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
. As he approached the capital, Nicomedes IV barricaded himself inside of his castle.
Socrates with the Pontian army defeated the army of Nicomedes IV and he was forced to flee to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Socrates became King of Bithynia and probably assumed the name Memnon Nicomedes which he is also known by. Nicomedes IV with the support of the Roman Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
declared war against Socrates; eventually Nicomedes IV had a military victory and due to Rome’s influence in the region Nicomedes IV was restored to the Bithynian throne as King in 90 BC.
Socrates became a political exile and fled to the court of Mithridates VI. Mithridates VI was not prepared to brave the power of Rome and found this opportunity to not only support Socrates, but even put to him to death.
Sources
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2305.html
- http://ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2396.html
- http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/3180.html
- Mayor, A. The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy, Princeton University Press, 2009