Pharnaces II of Pontus

Farnaces II
Golden coin depicting Pharnaces
Gold stater of Pharnaces as Obv: head of Pharnakes diademed. Rev: Appolo seated behind tripus, legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΦΑΡΝΑΚΟΥ.
King of Pontus
Reign63–47 BC
PredecessorMithridates VI
SuccessorDarius of Pontus
King of the Bosporus
Reign63–47 BC
PredecessorMithridates I
SuccessorMithridates II
Bornc. 97 BC
Died47 BC
Issue
DynastyMithridatic
FatherMithradates VI Eupator
MotherLaodice (sister of Mithridates VI)

Pharnaces II of Pontus (‹See Tfd›Greek: Φαρνάκης; about 97–47 BC) was the king of the Bosporan Kingdom and Kingdom of Pontus until his death. He was a monarch of Persian and Greek ancestry. He was the youngest child born to King Mithridates VI of Pontus from his first wife, his sister Queen Laodice.[1] He was born and raised in the Kingdom of Pontus and was the namesake of his late double great grandfather Pharnaces I of Pontus. After his father was defeated by the Romans in the Third Mithridatic War (73–63 BC) and died in 63 BC, the Romans annexed the western part of Pontus, merged it with the former Kingdom of Bithynia and formed the Roman province of Bithynia and Pontus. The eastern part of Pontus remained under the rule of Pharnaces as a client kingdom until his death.

  1. ^ Mayor, The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome’s deadliest enemy p.xviii