Tiberius Julius Rhoemetalces
Tiberius Julius Rhoemetalces Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes, also known as Rhoemetalces or Rhoimetalces (Greek: Τιβέριος Ιούλιος Ροιμητάλκης Φιλοκαισαρ Φιλορώμαίος Ευσεβής, Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes, means lover of Caesar, lover of Rome who is the Pius one, flourished 2nd century, died 153) was a prince and Roman Client King of the Bosporan Kingdom.
Rhoemetalces was the son and heir of the Bosporan King Cotys II by an unnamed wife. He was of Greek, Iranian and Roman ancestry. Rhoemetalces is the only King from the Bosporan Kingdom to bear this name. His father named him in honor of his ancestor, King Rhoemetalces I from the Odrysian kingdom of Thrace, who was the father of the Roman Client King Cotys VIII of Thrace.
When Cotys II died in 132, Rhoemetalces succeeded him. Rhoemetalces ruled as Bosporan King from 132 until his death in 153. He was a contemporary to the rule of the Roman Emperors Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. On coinage his royal title is in Greek: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΡΟΙΜΗΤΑΛΚΑΣ or of King Rhoemetalces.
According to the Augustan History, at an unknown date in the reign of Antoninus Pius, Rhoemetalces had travelled to Rome for a hearing of a dispute between him and the imperial commissioner. The nature and causes leading to this dispute are unknown. After the hearing had concluded, the emperor sent Rhoemetalces back to the Bosporan.
Like his paternal grandfather Sauromates I, Rhoemetalces appeared to be a religious person and was involved in the worship of the Goddess Aphrodite and her cult. This can be confirmed by an inscription found on a statue base from Phanagoria.
Tiberius Julius, king Rhoimetalces, a friend of the Caesar and of the Romans, pious, having gathered and augmented the lands of Thianneoi that were dedicated to by Letodoros, and pelatoi, according to the record on the monument that stands nearby, that decreased with time, restored them safe to the goddess, by the concern of Alexandros, son of Myreimos, the minister of religion, in 448, in the month of Apellaios, 20.
Not much more is otherwise known on the reign and life of Rhoemetalces. Rhoemetalces married an unnamed woman, and from this marriage; he had a son called Eupator, who succeeded him on his death.