Cotys III

Cotys III (Ancient Greek: Κότυς, flourished second half of 1st century BC and first half of 1st century, died 18 AD) was the Sapaean Roman client king of eastern Thrace from 12 to 18 AD. Family and origins Cotys was the son and heir of loyal Roman client rulers Rhoemetalces I and Pythodoris I of Thrace. Cotys' mother is only known through surviving numismatic evidence, which bears her image and her Royal title of Queen Pythodoris. Cotys' father Rhoemetalces I was an ally of the first Roman Emperor Augustus. Rhoemetalces I was a direct descendant of the Thracian King Cotys I. Rhoemetalces I was the son of a previous Thracian King, whose name was Cotys II and his mother is unknown. Rhoemetalces I was the middle son, who had an elder brother who was called Cotys and his younger brother was Rhescuporis II. Rhoemetalces I's eldest brother Cotys who was Thracian King and an ally to Roman General Pompey, had sent Pompey a force of auxiliaries under his son Rhescuporis I in 48 BC, during the Roman civil war between Pompey and Gaius Julius Caesar. When Rhoemetalces I's brother died, his nephew Rhescuporis I became Thracian King. Rhoemetalces I became the guardian to the young son of his brother, Cotys. Rhescuporis I died in 13 BC when he was defeated and slain in a battle by Vologaeses, chief of the Thracian Bessi, who was a leader in the revolt against the Romans in that year.