- Rhescuporis II
Rhescuporis II was king of half of the
Odrysian kingdom ofThrace from 12 to 18, in succession to his brotherRhoemetalces I , and briefly ruler of the entire realm thereafter, usurping the other half from nephewCotys VIII . He was a son of the earlier Thracian kingCotys VI and the younger brother of kingsCotys VII and Rhoemetalces I. The Roman HistorianTacitus describes his character as "treacherous."On the death of Rhoemetalces, Emperor
Augustus divided Thrace into two separate kingdoms, one half for Cotys VIII to rule and the other half for Rhescuporis II. Tacitus states that Cotys received the cultivated parts, most towns and most Greek cities of Thrace, while Rhescuporis received the Thrace’s wild savage land and their hostile subjects. Rhescuporis wanted to annex Cotys’ kingdom, but was prevented from doing so from fear of Augustus. Augustus' death in 14 emboldened him, and he initiated efforts to obtain the remainder of Thrace, at first by negotiation, but afterwards, when Cotys proved resistant, by treachery. Inviting his nephew to a banquet to falsely ratify a treaty between them, he arrested and imprisoned Cotys, seizing his kingdom. Cotys died while incarcerated in 18, allegedly by suicide. His wife and children fled Thrace toCyzicus to escape Rhescuporis.The Roman Emperor
Tiberius opened an investigation into Cotys’ death, putting Rhescuporis on trial in theRoman Senate . He invited Cotys' widow Tryphaena to testify at the trial, during which she accused the defendant of murdering her husband. Rhescuporis was found guilty, and Tiberius sent him to live in exile inAlexandria ,Egypt . Enroute, Rhescuporis tried to escape and was killed by Roman soldiers. His son, who would later rule Thrace as Rhoemetalces III, was spared by Tiberius and allowed to return to Thrace. In the meantime Tiberius returned the whole Thracian Kingdom to Tryphaena and appointed Rhoemetalces II, her eldest child with Cotys, as coruler.ources
* [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/2980.html Smith, William, ed. "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology". Boston : Little, Brown, and Company, 1867, v. 3, p. 647]
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