Pythodorida of Pontus - Queen

Queen

About 14 BC, Pythodorida married King Polemon Pythodoros of Pontus as his second wife. She became Queen of Pontus and the Bosporan Kingdom when she married Polemon I. Polemon I was previously widowed by his first wife and had no natural children, except for a stepson.

Pythodorida and Polemon had two sons and one daughter, who were:

• Zenon, also known as Zeno-Artaxias or Artaxias III, who became King of Armenia in 18 and reigned until his death in 35
• Marcus Antonius Polemon Pythodoros, also known as Polemon II of Pontus
• Antonia Tryphaena who married King of Thrace, Cotys VIII

Polemon I died in 8 BC and Pythodorida became the sole Queen of Pontus until her death. Pythodorida was able to retain Colchis and Cilicia but the Bosporan Kingdom, she was unable to retain. The Bosporan Kingdom, was succeeded by her first husband's stepson Aspurgus.

After Polemon I died, she married King Archelaus of Cappadocia. Archelaus and Pythodorida had no children. Through her marriages, she became Roman Client Queen of Cappadocia. Pythodorida had moved with her children from Pontus to Cappadocia to live with Archelaus. When Archelaus died in 17, Cappadocia became a Roman province and she returned with her family back to Pontus.

In later years, Polemon II assisted his mother in the administration of the kingdom. When Pythodorida died, Polemon II succeeded her. Pythodorida was a friend and contemporary to the Greek geographer Strabo. Strabo is said to have described Pythodorida as a woman of virtuous character. Strabo considered her to have a great capacity for business and considered that under Pythodorida’s rule, Pontus had flourished.