Satyros II


Satyros II or Satyrus II was a son of Paerisades I and Spartocid king of the Bosporan Kingdom for 9 months in 310 BC. He was the elder brother of Eumelos and Prytanis. He and his brothers engaged in the Bosporan Civil War, a dynastic dispute that occurred when Eumelos made a rival claim to the throne.

Reign and Civil War

When his father Paerisades died in 310 BC, Satyros inherited the throne and government as he was the eldest son. Shortly after, his brother Eumelos fled to the lands of the Siraces, where he entered into an alliance with Aripharnes, king of the Siraces, and made a rival claim to the throne. As soon as Satyros learned of this, he set out against his brother Eumelos with his army thus starting the Spartocid civil war. Satyros's own army had a total of 34,000 troops, a mixture of Greeks, Thracians, and Scythians. After cornering his younger brother, they fought at the Battle of the River Thatis, which resulted in a strategic victory for Satyrus and demonstrated his suitability for the throne of his father.

Final Battle and Death

Satyros pursued his brother and his ally, Ariphanes, who both retreated to the capital of the Siraces. Upon approaching the city, he realised that it would be hard to take as the city was built on the river Thatis and surrounded by thick marshes. There were also man made defences including a fortified gate and a well-protected castle at the other entrance. Knowing he wouldn't be able to take the city, he at first plundered the countryside, gaining many prisoners and plunder.
The Siege of Siracena ensued. However Satyros died fighting Aripharnes while attempting to protect his mercenary captain, Meniscus. His brother Prytanis became king shortly after his death, and fought Eumelos but shared the same fate.
His brother Eumelos killed off the families of his brothers, but Satyros's son, Paerisades, survived and fled to Scythia, where he was given asylum by its king, Agarus.