Scribonius (Bosporan usurper)


Scribonius was a man of unknown origin, possibly Roman or Hellenistic. He claimed to be a descendant of Mithridates VI of Pontus, the earlier king of Pontus who had also ruled the Bosporus. Through this, he claimed the throne of the Bosporan Kingdom in 17 BC. The real king of the Bosporus, Asander starved himself because of this. He somehow convinced the wife of Asander, Dynamis to marry him. When Augustus learned of what Scribonius had done he sent Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa to remove Scribonius. Agrippa then sent Polemon I of Pontus to remove Scribonius and take the throne himself. Scribonius was executed in 16 BC, and Polemon took the throne. To legitimise his claim he married Dynamis.