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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Avidus (talk | contribs) at 00:05, 26 March 2011 (moved Sames of Sophene to Sames of Commagene: His capital city, Samosata, was located in Commagene, not in Sophene. Even on this Armenian map it shows Samosata as being in Commagene: http://rbedrosian.com/Maps/hartsoc.htm). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Sames (Greek: Σαμωσ Armenian:Շամուշ) was Satrap of Commagene. Ziaelas of Bithynia took refuge at the court of Satrap Sames in Samosata in 260 BC.

War between the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic Kingdom seems to have allowed Sames an opportunity of independence. What side he took in the Syrian Wars is unknown as most of the records of that era have been lost, though it would make sense that he would have supported the Ptolemaic Kingdom against his large and powerful neighbour, the Seleucid Empire.

Most sources give Orontes III as his father. After Orontes III died in 260 BC there is no record of who accually ruled Armenia whilst Sames was ruling Commagene. Commagene was outside the boundary of historic Armenia, yet the Persian Satraps remained in occupation of many regions of Anatolia, such as Cappadocia and Pontus. It may have been that son and heir to the Armenian kingdom would rule another region, just as the son or heir to the Achaemenid Empire had always ruled an outlying region, such as Bactria or Hyrkania. Viewing it from this perspective it would make sense, as his father Orontes III was of the Achaemenian family.

He founded the city of Samosata, which has been submerged by the Ataturk Dam since 1989.

Shamash was a Babylonian god, equivalent to Mithra, it was a dramatic break from a seemingly continous tradition of Satraps with Persian names. The neighbouring region of Osroene maintained a strong Aramaic culture that the Persian and Greek occupiers never replaced. Although Sames had a very Babylonian (Aramaic) name, his name might have been "Mihrdat" which many of his successors had, but replaced it with the Babylonian equivalent for cultural reasons on taking control of Commagene.

He was succeeded by his son, Arsames I.

See also

• Commagene
• List of rulers of Commagene

References

Richard G. Hovannisian

• Wayne G. Sayles, "Ancient Coin Collecting VI: Non-Classical Cultures", Krause Publications, 1999, ISBN 0873417534, p.29

1. The Armenian People from Ancient to Modern Times, 2 vols. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997

• Monarchs of Armenia
• Orontid dynasty
• Kingdom of Commagene
• Diadochi
• 3rd-century BC rulers