Ariarathes III of Cappadocia

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Silver coin of Ariarathes III (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris)
Silver coin of Ariarathes III (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris)

Ariarathes III (in Greek Aριαράθης; reigned 262 or 255220 BC), son of Ariamnes, ruler of Cappadocia, and grandson of Ariarathes II, married Stratonice (in Greek Stratonike), a daughter of Antiochus II, king of Syria and wife Laodice I (in Greek Laodike I), and obtained a share in the government during the life-time of his father. About 250 BC he was the first ruler of Cappadocia to proclaim himself king (basileus). It is known that he sided with Antiochus Hierax in his war against Seleucus II Callinicus. Ariarathes is also said to have expanded his kingdom adding Cataonia to his dominions. 1 By his marriage he was the father of Ariarathes IV.


Preceded by
Ariamnes
King of Cappadocia
255 BC220 BC
Succeeded by
Ariarathes IV

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[edit] Note

1 Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca, xxxi. 3; Strabo, Geography, xii. 1; Pompeius Trogus, Prologi, xxv; Justin, xxvii. 3

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).