Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/511

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PRINCES OF BOSPOKUS. 479 the surname of Pontarches, on numerous islands and capes in the Euxine) was among the chief divine or heroic persons to whom they addressed their prayers.* Amidst Grecian life, thus degraded and verging towards its extinction, and stripped even of the purity of living speech — the thread of imaginative and traditional sentiment thus continues without suspension or abate- ment. Respecting Bosporus or Pantikapaeum (for both names denote the same city, though the former name often comprehends the whole annexed dominion), founded by Milesian settlers^ on the European side of the Kimmerian Bosporus (near Kertsch), we first hear, alx»ut the period when Xerxes was repulsed from Greece (480-479 b. c). It was the centre of a dominion in- cluding Phanagoria, Kepi, Hermonassa, and other Greek cities on the Asiatic side of the strait ; and is said to have been gov- erned by what seems to have been an oligarchy — called tlm Archosanaktida?, for forty-two years* (480-438 b. c). After them we have a series of princes standing out individu- ally by name, and succeeding each other in the same family. Spartokus I. was succeeded by Seleukus ; next comes Spartokus II. ; then Satyrus I. (407-393 b. c.) ; Leukon (393-353 b. c.) ; Spartokus III. (353-348 b. c.) ; Parisades I. (348-310 b. c.) ; Satyrus II., Prytanis, Eumelus (310-304 B. c.) ; Spartokus IV. (304r-284 B. c.) ; Parisades II.* During the reigns of these princes, a connection of some intimacy subsisted between Athens and Bosporus ; a connection not poUtical, since the Bosporanic princes had httle interest in the contentions about Hellenic hege- mony — but of private intercourse, commercial interchange, and reciprocal good offices. The eastern corner of the Tauric Cher- tiie costume of the place, suited for riding — the long leather trowsers, and short black cloak; constantly on horseback for defence of the town, and celebrated as a warrior even at that earl}' age, having already killed or made prisoners several Sarmatians (p. 77). ' See Inscriptions, Nos. 2076, 2077, ap. Boeckh ; and Arrian's Periplus of the Euxine, ap. Geogr. Minor, p. 21, cd. Hudson. = Strabo, vii. p. 310. ' Diodor. xii. 31.

  • See Mv. Clinton's Appendix on the Kings of Bosporus — Fast. Ilellen,

App c. 13. p. 280. etc ; and Boeckli's Commentary on the same sabjeet^ Inscript. Graer. part x4. p. 91 seq.