Archelaus and/or Sisines? Strokes to the political biography of the last king of Hellenistic Cappadocia

Strabo and Dio Cassius report that after the death of Ariarathes X (37/36 BCE), Archelaus was appointed by Antony as the king of Cappadocia. However, Appian and the same Strabo (in another passage) mention in this context a certain Sisines, who does not appear in other sources. Based on this, the hypothesis of the identity of these two characters prevailed in historiography for a long time. Still, in recent decades, there has been an intensification of the debate around the old question: should the figures of Sisines, who sought the Cappadocian throne during the reign of Ariarathes X, and Archelaus, who indeed became the king, be considered separately? The article attempts to rehabilitate the old point of view by drawing on sources that were previously overlooked by researchers in the context of this problem. The authors conclude that Sisines only took the name of his father and grandfather after ascending the throne in 37/36 BCE and consequently began to be called Archelaus. Such a practice, renaming at the time of accession (metonomasia) and adopting the main dynastic name, was actively used by other Hellenistic rulers. Through metonomasia, Archelaus seemed to strive to “improve” his personal origin and position. He deliberately rejects the Iranian tradition, taking a Greek name, assumes the Argead genealogy, and chooses expressive and rare epithets. This may have complied with Archelaus's political program, which may have aimed to demonstrate a certain independence from Rome for the new king of Cappadocia (in contrast to the position of the Ariobarzanids).