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Kingdom of Galatia
Deiotaros – King: 62-40 B.C.
Bronze 17mm (3.62 grams) Uncertain mint
Reference: HGC 7, 775; SNG von Aulock 6100
Laureate head of Zeus right.
Eagle left on thunderbolt, wings open, head right, monogram of AHTP in field to left.
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Deiotarus of Galatia (in Galatian and
Greek Deiotaros, surnamed Philoromaios (“Friend
of the Romans”); c. 105 BC – 42 BC, 41 BC or 40
BC) was a Chief Tetrarch of the Tolistobogii in
western Galatia, Asia Minor, and a King of
Galatia (“Gallo-Graecia”). He was considered one
of the most adept of Celtic kings, ruling the
three tribes of Celtic Galatia from his fortress
in Blucium.
The name Deiotarus is generally translated as
Galatian Celtic “Divine-bull” (*deiuo-tauros;
cf. Old Irish dia, Welsh duw, Old Welsh duiu,
“God” and Old Irish tarb, Welsh tarw “bull”,
with Western Celtic metathesis of the cluster -uro-
to -ruo-).
Deiotarus was a faithful ally of the Romans
and became involved in the struggles between the
Roman generals that led to the fall of the
Republic from 44 BC. He changed sides and
supported the triumvirs, keeping his kingdom
until his death.
He is first heard of at the beginning of the
Third Mithridatic War, when
he drove the troops of Mithridates VI of Pontus under Eumachus from Phrygia,
and he was a witness when Mithridates VI saw his invasion of Phrygia stopped
by the Romans, both in 75 BC or 74 BC. His most influential friend was
Pompey, who, when settling the affairs of Asia after Mithridates VI failed
in his invasion of Phrygia and was finally defeated by the Romans in 65 BC,
64 BC, 63 BC or 62 BC, rewarded him for his assistance against him with the
title of King and an increase of territory (part of eastern Pontus, to which
the Senate granted him Lesser Armenia and most of Galatia). On the outbreak
of the civil war in 49 BC, Deiotarus naturally sided with his old patron and
ally Pompey and the Optimates in their fight against Julius Caesar, who was
defying the Senate. When Pompey was defeated at the Battle of Pharsalus in
48 BC, he escaped back to Asia-Minor. After Pharsalus Deiotarus faced
execution, but was saved by switching sides and later by the advocacy of
Cicero. ] During this time, Pharnaces, the son of Mithridates, had seized
Lesser Armenia, and defeated Deiotarus’ Galatian legions which were part of
Domitius Calvinus’ army in the Battle of Nicopolis. Fortunately for
Deiotarus, Julius Caesar at that time (47 BC) arrived in Asia from Egypt,
and was met by the tetrarch in the dress of a suppliant. Caesar pardoned him
for having sided with Pompey, ordered him to resume his royal attire, and
hastened against Pharnaces, whom he defeated at Zela.
In consequence of the complaints of certain
Galatian princes, Deiotarus was deprived of part
of his dominions in 47 BC, but was pardoned by
Caesar and allowed to retain the title of King.
On the death of Mithridates of Pergamum,
Tetrarch of the Trocmi, Deiotarus was a
candidate for the vacancy. Other tetrarchs also
pressed their claims; and, further, Deiotarus
was accused at Rome in 45 BC by his grandson
Castor of having attempted to assassinate Caesar
when the latter, then Dictator, was his guest in
Galatia. Cicero, who entertained a high opinion
of Deiotarus, whose acquaintance he had made
when governor of Cilicia, undertook his defence,
the case being heard in Caesar’s own house at
Rome. Cicero to Gaius Caesar: “… for it was
king Deiotarus who raised your family, when
abject and obscure, from darkness into light.
Who ever heard of your father, or who he was,
before they heard whose son-in-law he was?” The
matter was allowed to drop for a time, and the
assassination of Caesar prevented any final
decision of the verdict being pronounced. In his
speech Cicero briefly dismisses the charge of
assassination, the main question being the
distribution of the provinces, which was the
real cause of the quarrels between Deiotarus and
his relatives.
After Caesar’s death, Mark Antony, for a
large monetary consideration, publicly announced
that, in accordance with instructions left by
Caesar, Deiotarus was to resume possession of
all the territory of which he had been deprived.
When civil war again broke out, Deiotarus was
persuaded to support the anti-Caesarian party of
Brutus and Cassius, but after the Battle of
Philippi in 42 BC, went over to the triumvirs.
He remained in possession of his kingdom until
his death at a very advanced age.
Deiotarus was the patron to whom the Greek
agricultural manual by Diophanes of Nicaea was
dedicated.
He was married to Berenice, Princess of
Pergamon, daughter of Attalus III Philomater
Euergetes, King of Pergamon, and his wife of the
Attalid dynasty. They were the parents of
Adobogiona, who married Brogitarus, King of
Galatia, who reigned concurrently with his
father-in-law. Adobogiona and Brogitarus were
the parents of Amyntas, Tetrarch of the Trocmi
and King of Galatia. Legacy The Legio XXII
Deiotariana, a Roman legion, traced its lineage
back to Deiotarus. It was originally part of the
Galatian Army, and the equivalent of three
legions. After suffering a defeat it was
consolidated into a single legion, and
functioned as an informal Roman legion under
Julius Caesar until Deiotarus’ death, at which
point it was incorporated into the Roman Army
with its former king as its namesake.
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