Kingdom of Bosporus, 39-45 AD., Mithradates III, 12 Units, RPC I 1910.

Kingdom of Bosporus, Mithradates III., 39-45 AD.,
Æ As / 12 nummi (23-24 mm / 7,48 g), bronze, axis about medal alignment ↑↑ (ca. 340°),
Obv.: BACIΛЄΩC MIΘPAΔATOY , diademed head of Mithradates III right.
Rev.: IB (value mark) , below lion skin on club, flanked by bow in quiver and trident.
RPC I, 1910 (30 specimens listed, 25 in the core collections, https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/1910) ; MacDonald 313 ; Anokhin 330 ; SNG Cop. 28 . Fifty-two specimens known to Frolova Probably same obverse dies as Roma Numismatics Limited E-Sale 61 (22 Aug. 2019), Lot 215 ( https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=3342&lot=215 ) and Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Electronic Auction 181, Lot 101 ( https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=436737 )

The Bosporan Kingdom was located between the Crimean and Taman peninsulas centered around the Kerch Strait, known in antiquity as the Cimmerian Bosporus, from where the kingdom's name is derived. It was briefly incorporated as part of the Roman province of Moesia Inferior from 63 to 68 AD under Emperor Nero, before being restored as a Roman client kingdom.

Tiberius Julius Mithridates Philogermanicus Philopatris, also known as Mithridates III of the Bosporus (fl. 41 AD, died 68 AD), was a Roman client king of the Bosporus. Mithridates was the first son of the Roman client king Aspurgus and his consort Gepaepyris. He was a prince of Greek, Iranian and Roman ancestry. He was the first grandchild and grandson of Asander and Dynamis of the Bosporus and Cotys VIII and Antonia Tryphaena of Thrace. Through his maternal grandmother Antonia Tryphaena, he was a descendant of Roman triumvir Mark Antony. Tryphaena was the first great-granddaughter born to Antony. Through Tryphaena, Mithridates was also related to various members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Through Aspurgus, Mithridates was a descendant of the Greek Macedonian kings: Antigonus I Monophthalmus, Seleucus I Nicator and the general and statesman Antipater. These three men served under Alexander the Great. Tiberius Julius Mithridates was named in honour of his ancestor Mithridates VI of Pontus, who was the paternal grandfather of Tiberius Mithridates' grandmother Dynamis.
In AD 39 Mithridates inherited the throne of his mother. Sometime before 45, the Roman Emperor Claudius had given Mithridates the whole Bosporan Kingdom to rule. Claudius recognised and appointed him as the legitimate Bosporan King. In 45, for unknown reasons, Claudius deposed Mithridates from the throne and replaced him with his younger brother Cotys I. Mithridates was able to entice the leaders of the local tribes and deserters into his allies. He was able to seize control of the local tribes and collect an army to declare war on Cotys I. Mithridates was captured and brought to Rome as a prisoner. He was spared capital punishment and was exiled. Mithridates lived in exile as a destitute until his death in 68 AD.