Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology/Ariarathes V.
V. Son of the preceding, previously called Mithridates, reigned 33 years, b. c. 163–130. He was surnamed Philopator, and was distinguished by the excellence of his character and his cultivation of philosophy and the liberal arts. According to Livy (xlii. 19), he was educated at Rome; but this account may perhaps refer to the other Ariarathes, one of the supposititious sons of the late king. In consequence of rejecting, at the wish of the Romans, a marriage with the sister of Demetrius Soter, the latter made war upon him, and brought forward Holophernes, one of the supposititious sons of the late king, as a claimant of the throne. Ariarathes was deprived of his kingdom, and fled to Rome about b. c. 158. He was restored by the Romans, who, however, appear to have allowed Holophernes to reign jointly with him, as is expressly stated by Appian (Syr. 47), and implied by Polybius (xxxii. 20). The joint government, however, did not last long; for we find Ariarathes shortly afterwards named as sole king. In b. c. 154, Ariarathes assisted Attalus in his war against Prusias, and sent his son Demetrius in command of his forces. He fell in b. c. 130, in the war of the Romans against Aristonicus of Pergamus. In return for the succours which he had brought the Romans on that occasion, Lycaonia and Cilicia were added to the dominions of his family. By his wife Laodice he had six children; but they were all, with the exception of the youngest, killed by their mother, that she might obtain the government of the kingdom. After she
had been put to death by the people on account of her cruelty, her youngest son succeeded to the crown. (Diod. l. c., Exc. xxiv. p. 626, ed. Wess.; Polyb. iii. 5, xxxii. 20, 23, xxxiii. 12; Justin, xxxv. 1, xxxvii. 1.)