Tarcondimotus I


Tarcondimotus I was a Roman client king of Cilicia, who played a role in the Roman civil wars of the late Roman Republic.
Based on inscriptions relating to his family from Castabala, Tarcondimotus was the son of Straton, and had probably two sons, Philopator I and Tarcondimotus II, and a daughter called Julia.
Tarcondimotus at first supported Pompey in the civil war against Julius Caesar, but after Pompey's defeat and death, he was pardoned by Caesar and confirmed in his title and possessions. The name of Tarcondimotus' daughter is probably an indication that he received the Roman citizenship from Caesar as well. During the Liberators' civil war, he sided with Gaius Cassius Longinus, and after that with Mark Antony, whom he followed in the opening stages of the war against Octavian.
Tarcondimotus was killed in a battle at sea in 31 BC, fighting under Gaius Sosius against Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. His sons deserted Mark Antony's cause after Octavian's victory in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, but Octavian nevertheless deposed Philopator I in 30 BC from his kingdom. Nothing further is heard of Philopator I, but in 20 BC, Tarcondimotus' former possessions were restored to his other son, Tarcondimotus II, except for a few coastal areas.