Overview of All Rulers of Cappadocia

This page presents a chronological overview of the kings of Cappadocia, from the early Ariarathid rulers to Roman client kings. Each entry lists the reign period with brief notes on Seleucid and Pontic pressures, internal administration, dynastic marriages, and the kingdom’s gradual integration into the Roman sphere.

Title	Date	Excerpt
Ariarathes I: Iranian Noble and Founder of the Cappadocian Dynasty	331–322 BC	Ariarathes I governed northern Cappadocia during the decline of the Achaemenid Empire and resisted Macedonian conquest, establishing a dynastic legacy that influenced the region for centuries.
Ariarathes II and the Ariarathid Dynasty: Historical Insights from Ancient Cappadocia	301–280 BC	Ariarathes II restored his family's rule in southern Cappadocia around 301 BC, navigating complex regional power struggles and establishing semi-autonomous governance under Seleucid influence.
Ariaramnes of Cappadocia: King and Diplomat in Ancient Anatolia	280–230 BC	Ariaramnes ruled Cappadocia circa 280–230 BC, establishing its independence from the Seleucid Empire and blending Persian and Hellenic cultural elements in his administration and coinage.
Ariarathes III: Hellenistic King of Cappadocia on Ancient History and Archaeology	255–220 BC	Ariarathes III ruled Cappadocia in the mid-3rd century BC, establishing royal titulature and forging a key dynastic alliance with the Seleucid dynasty that shaped the region's political landscape.
Ariarathes IV of Cappadocia: Diplomatic and Cultural Leadership in Hellenistic Anatolia	220–163 BC	Ariarathes IV ruled Cappadocia from 220 to 163 BC, skillfully maintaining its autonomy through shifting alliances with the Seleucids, Rome, and Pergamum. His reign fostered Hellenistic culture and political stability amid regional upheavals.
Ariarathes V of Cappadocia: A Hellenistic Monarch Navigating Roman and Seleucid Powers	163–130 BC	Ariarathes V ruled Cappadocia in the mid-2nd century BC, balancing Hellenistic culture with strategic alliances to maintain his kingdom amid the decline of major eastern powers and the rise of Rome.
Orophernes of Cappadocia: A Brief Hellenistic Ruler Explored by Historical and Archaeological Insights	c. 157–155 BC	Orophernes Nikephoros was a short-lived ruler of Cappadocia in the mid-2nd century BC whose contested reign highlights the complexities of Hellenistic dynastic struggles, foreign influence, and the role of coinage in ancient political power.
Ariarathes VI of Cappadocia: A Hellenistic and Iranian Monarch	130–116 BC	Ariarathes VI ruled Cappadocia from 130 BC to 116 BC, navigating complex dynastic struggles and foreign influences while blending Hellenistic and Iranian royal imagery in his coinage.
Ariarathes VII Philometor: King of Cappadocia in the Late 2nd Century BC	116–101 BC	Ariarathes VII Philometor ruled Cappadocia during a turbulent period marked by dynastic struggles and external interference from neighboring kingdoms, shaping the region's political landscape.
Ariarathes VIII Epiphanes: King of Cappadocia and the Ariarathid Dynasty	101–96 BC	Ariarathes VIII Epiphanes ruled Cappadocia during a turbulent period marked by internal rebellion and external influence from Pontus and Rome, culminating in the end of the Ariarathid royal line.
Ariarathes IX Eusebes Philopator: A Mitridatid King of Cappadocia	100–85 BC	Ariarathes IX Eusebes Philopator ruled Cappadocia under the influence of Pontus, Armenia, and Rome during the late Hellenistic period, with his reign marked by dynastic struggles and external interventions.
Ariobarzanes I of Cappadocia: Navigating Power and Rome in Anatolia	96–c. 63 BC	Ariobarzanes I ruled Cappadocia during a turbulent period marked by regional conflicts and Roman expansion, skillfully maintaining his kingdom's survival and modest growth through alliances and Roman support.
Ariobarzanes II Philopator: King of Cappadocia and Patron of Hellenic Culture	c. 63–51 BC	Ariobarzanes II Philopator ruled Cappadocia in the 1st century BC, known for supporting Greek culture and relying on Roman military aid during a turbulent reign that ended with his assassination.
Ariobarzanes III Eusebes Philorhomaios: King of Cappadocia and Rome’s Ally	51–42 BC	Ariobarzanes III Eusebes Philorhomaios ruled Cappadocia from 51 to 42 BC, navigating complex internal rivalries and Roman political dynamics during the late Republic.
Ariarathes X Eusebes Philadelphos: King of Cappadocia and Roman Client	42–36 BC	Ariarathes X Eusebes Philadelphos ruled Cappadocia around 42–36 BC, navigating complex dynastic struggles and Roman political alliances during a turbulent period of civil wars.
Archelaus of Cappadocia: Rome’s Last Client King in Anatolia	36 BC – 17 AD	Archelaus ruled Cappadocia from 36 BC to 17 AD, overseeing a kingdom at the crossroads of Rome, Armenia, and Parthia. His reign highlights Rome's strategy of managing eastern frontiers through client kings who balanced local authority with imperial dependence, fostering urban development and regional diplomacy before Cappadocia's annexation as a Roman province.