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Leucon II

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Leucon II
King of the Bosporan Kingdom
Reignc. 240–220 BC[1]
PredecessorSpartocus IV
SuccessorHygiaenon
BornUnknown
Bosporan Kingdom
Diedc. 220 BC
Bosporan Kingdom
ConsortAlcathoe
IssueSpartokos V [ru]
Paerisades III
GreekΛευκών
HouseSpartocid
FatherPaerisades II
ReligionGreek Polytheism

Leucon II of Bosporus (Ancient Greek: Λέυκων, romanizedLeukon; c. 240 – 220 BC), also known as Leuco, seems to have been the second son of Paerisades II and a Spartocid ruler of the Bosporan Kingdom in 240 BC.

Reign

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Leucon killed his brother, Spartocus IV, after discovering that he had been engaged in an adulterous affair with Leukon's wife, Alcathoe, and assumed the throne. Supposedly, Alcathoe later killed Leucon in an act of revenge.[2]

Leucon also supposedly endured an economic crisis in the 3rd century BC, when he minted new coins with his own name, in order to maintain his kingdom.[2] He was the first Bosporan king to issue coins with his own name.[1]

Succession

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He was succeeded by Hygiaenon after his death. Hygiaenon was not a member of the Spartocid dynasty and may have been a supporter of Camasarye, the daughter and heiress of Spartocus IV.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Encyclopedia,The Free Dictionary. Leucon II (c. 240–220), under whom, for the first time on the shores of the Bosporus, coins were minted in the king's name.
  2. ^ a b Stolyarik 1998, p. 63.
  3. ^ Stolyarik 1998, p. 67.

Bibliography

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Collection of coins from the reign of Leucon II here