Mathianes, Son of Zaidaros, His Anonymous Son, and New Spotlights on Queen Dynamis of the Bosporus

Two inscriptions naming a certain Mathianes can shed new light on the history of the Bosporus under Queen Dynamis (47/21 BC–AD 7/8). His tombstone depicts him mounted on a horse with a spear, probably hunting. The epitaph (SEG XLV 1018) names basilissa Dynamis as the one who commissioned the tomb. Since she is men-tioned without her epithet Philorhomaios, we can date Mathianes’ death during her first sole reign, 17/6–14 BC, perhaps even in a combat with Polemon. An honorific decree from Tanais is dedicated to his son, whose name is lost (SEG XLV 1023). While previ-ous scholars dated the inscription to the mid- or late-1st century AD, the genealogical link with Mathianes as well as the fragmentary epithet of the anonymous king allows us to date the decree to the short rule of Polemon Eusebes Philokaisar kai Philorhomaios (14–12/8 BC). This benefactor seems to have played a central role in assuaging the king after the Tanaitai had resisted him and thus suffered substantial damage (Str. 11.2.3 493C).