Challenging Gender Roles: Hypsicrates, wife of Mithridates VI

Several ancient authors referred to Mithridates VI's wife as Hypsicrates (the masculine form of her birth name Hypsicratea). This was largely dismissed until the following inscription was found in 2004 which confirms the public use of this name. 

ΥΨΙΚΡΑΤΗΣ ΓΥΝΑΙ

ΜΙΘΡΙΔΑΤΟΥ ΕΥΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΥ

ΧΑΙΡΕ

 

HYPSICRATES, UXOR

MITHRIDATI EUPATORIS DIONYSI

SAL.

--Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum (SEG) 56.934; translated into Latin by K. Masters

Hypsicrates, wife of Mithridates VI, hail!

<Anonymous> SEG	MAP:
Name:  [Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum, a collection of Greek inscriptions] Date:   1st c. BCE Works:   n/a	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
Little is known about the author of this inscription, but it was found on the base of a (now lost) sculpture in the Black Sea coast town Phanagoria in 2004.	ROMAN GREEK