Laodice (sister-wife of Mithridates IV of Pontus)

Laodice (flourished 2nd century BC) was a Princess and Queen of the Kingdom of Pontus.

Laodice was of Greek Macedonian and Persian ancestry. She was the daughter of the monarchs Laodice and Mithridates III of Pontus. Her brothers were Mithridates IV of Pontus and Pharnaces I of Pontus who reigned as Kings of Pontus after the death of their parents. Laodice was born and raised in the Kingdom of Pontus.

The ancient sources do not mention anything about Laodice. She is only known through surviving coins, statues and inscriptions. At some point, Laodice married her brother Mithridates IV of Pontus. She appears to have had no children with her husband.

Surviving coins that were issued by Laodice, and coins that were jointly issued by her and Mithridates IV, show that she reigned as Queen of Pontus with her brother sometime between around 162 BC and the 150s BC. From the coinage, it appears very likely that Laodice was co-regent with Mithridates IV. Coins from the joint reign of Laodice and Mithridates IV display a fine double portrait, and they adapted a Ptolemaic model for coinage.

An example of a coin from their joint reign shows on the obverse side a draped bust of Mithridates IV and Laodice. The reverse side shows their royal titles in Greek: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΙΘΡΑΔΑΤΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΗΣ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ, which means "of King Mithridates and Queen Laodice Philadelphoi".Philadelphoi is the nominative plural of the Greek word philadelphos which means "sibling-loving". On the side of their royal titles, presents Mithridates IV and Laodice struck in the image of the Greek Patron Gods Zeus and Hera. Zeus and Hera are standing facing front. Hera is holding a sceptre in the right hand, while Zeus laureate holds a sceptre in his right hand and a thunderbolt in his left hand. The choice of coinage is a declaration of Hellenism. On the coins she issued herself, her royal title in Greek on coinage is ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΗΣ, which means "of Queen Laodice". Other silver coins in her issue have her royal titled initialled. One coin she issued has a veiled bust of her on the obverse: on the reverse is her royal Greek title with her being struck in the image of Hera. Hera is standing facing front; she wears a long dress and holds a sceptre in her right hand.

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