Ariarathes II of Cappadocia

Ariarathes II ( ancient Greek: Ἀριαράθης; * before 322 BC; † around 255 BC) was from about 281 to about 255 BC, a governor ( satrap ) of Cappadocia. He was a son of the Orophernes, the brother of Ariarathes I.; latter adopted him.

Ariarathes flew to the end of his uncle 322 BC to Armenia, while Cappadocia fell under the control of Macedonian rulers. With the support of the Orontes III. However, he was able to return to Cappadocia, defeating the Macedonian governor Amyntas in battle and thus take control. Diodorus implies this event for the year 301 BC, after the end of Antigonus Monophthalmos in the battle of Ipsos. More likely, however, had after this battle Seleucus the rule in eastern Asia Minor and thus also taken in Cappadocia, which Amyntas would have been a Seleucid governor. The ability to recapture Cappadocia probably arise for Ariarathes until after the end of Seleucus in 281 BC, when the Seleucid power in Asia Minor began to falter.

However, it was not possible Ariarathes to establish a completely independent kingdom, because he had to recognize the suzerainty of the Seleucid Empire further. Ariarathes ' ​​successor after his death in 255 BC Ariaramna II, the eldest of his three sons. It was his grandson, Ariarathes III. Could be solved by the Seleucids and assume the title of king.

Source

• Diodorus 31.19.4-5

• Satrap
• Cappadocians
• Born in the 4th century BC
• Died in the 3rd century BC
• Man