Leucon I

Leucon I
Archon of the Bosporus, Theodosia, all Sindike
Reign389–349 BC
PredecessorSatyrus I
SuccessorSpartokos II and Paerisades I
Bornc. 410 BC
Panticapaeum
Died349 BC (aged c. 60)
Bosporan Kingdom
Burial
Royal Kurgan
ConsortTheodosia
Issue
GreekΛευκών
HouseSpartocid
FatherSatyrus I
MotherUnknown
ReligionGreek Polytheism

Leucon I of Bosporus (Greek: Λευκὼν, romanized: Leukon, lived c. 410–349 BC) also known as Leuco, was a Spartocid ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom who ruled from 389 to 349 BC. He was arguably the greatest ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom.

He was the son of Satyrus I (432–389 BC) and the grandson of Spartocus I, the first Spartocid ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom. Leucon ruled his kingdom jointly with his brother Gorgippus, who situated himself on the Asiatic side and ruled from Gorgippia, which he named after himself.[1] Leucon was succeeded by his sons Spartocus II (349–342 BC) and Paerisades I (349–309).[2]

He continued his father's war against Theodosia and Chersonesus with the goal of annexing all the Greek colonies in the Bosporus.[3][4] He also made Sindike his vassal upon defeating Octamasades, and in an inscription from Nymphaion he is described as "archon of the Bosporus, Theodosia, all Sindike".[5] He also created a foreign and trade policy outside the Black Sea, significantly with Athens, a commercial friend of the Spartocids.

  1. ^ Brill Reference. October 2006. and was officially named after the Spartocid Gorgippus after its integration into the Bosporus Kingdom.
  2. ^ Burstein, Stanley M. (1974). "The War between Heraclea Pontica and Leucon I of Bosporus". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 4th Quarter: 401.
  3. ^ Burstein, Stanley M. (1974). "The War between Heraclea Pontica and Leucon I of Bosporus". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 4th Quarter: 401–402.
  4. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica (2011). Kingdom of the Bosporus.
  5. ^ Tokhtas'ev, Sergei R. (2006). "The Bosporus and Sindike in the Era of Leukon I. New Epigraphic Publications". Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia. 1-2. 12 (1–2): 1–62. doi:10.1163/157005706777968915.