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'''Aka II of Commagene''', also known as '''Aka II''' ({{lang-el|η Άκα}}) was a Princess from the [[Kingdom of Commagene]], who lived between the 1st century BC and 1st century. She was of [[Armenia]]n and [[Greeks|Greek]] descent.

There are two possibilities on the origins of Aka II. She could have been the daughter of Prince [[Antiochus II of Commagene]], who was the second son to King [[Antiochus I Theos of Commagene]] and Queen [[Isias]] Philostorgos of Commagene. The second possibility she could have been the daughter of [[Aka I of Commagene]]. Aka I was the daughter of Princess [[Antiochis of Commagene]]. Antiochis, who was the second daughter to King [[Antiochus I Theos of Commagene]] and Queen [[Isias]] Philostorgos of Commagene, thus was a sister to Antiochus II. Although Aka II was a direct descendant of Antiochus I Theos and Isias, she was either a granddaughter or great granddaughter to them.

Aka married an [[Egypt]]ian [[Greeks|Greek]] called [[Thrasyllus of Mendes]] who originally came from a Greek family in [[Mendes]], Egypt. Thrasyllus was an [[Alexandria]]n grammarian, editor of [[Plato]] and [[Democritus]], however was most noted as an astrologer. Thrasyllus became a friend to the future [[Roman Emperor]] [[Tiberius]] and through Tiberius’ influence, Thrasyllus and Aka II received [[Roman citizenship]].

Aka II bore Thrasyllus two children who were:
* A son, [[Tiberius Claudius Balbilus]]. Through Balbilus they would become the paternal grandparents to [[Claudia Capitolina]], who was the daughter of Balbilus. Capitolina would marry the Greek Prince from the [[Kingdom of Commagene]] called [[Gaius Julius Archelaus Antiochus Epiphanes]]. Through Capitolina, Aka II and Thrasyllus would become the great, grandparents of Capitolina’s children with Epiphanes who were: prince Gaius Julius Antiochus Epiphanes [[Philopappos]] and princess [[Julia Balbilla]].
* A daughter [[Eunia]], who married the [[Praetorian prefect]] [[Naevius Sutorius Macro]].

==Sources==
* http://fabpedigree.com/s005/f082864.htm
* http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius_Claudius_Balbillus
* Chahin, Mark (2001). The Kingdom of Armenia. Routlege, pp. 190-191. ISBN 0-7007-1452-9.

''Note this article is partly based from the information of article Thrasyllus of Mendes from Wikipedia.''<ref>Royal genealogy of Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb</ref> also known as '''Aka II''' or '''Aka'''<ref>Beck, ''Beck on Mithraism: Collected Works With New Essays'', p.43</ref> ({{lang-el|Άκα}}) was a Princess from the [[Kingdom of Commagene]]<ref>Beck, ''Beck on Mithraism: Collected Works With New Essays'', p.42-3</ref> who lived in the second half of the 1st century BC & first half of the 1st century, who was of [[Armenians|Armenian]], [[Greeks|Greek]] and [[Medes|Median]] descent.

Aka II is one of the daughters born to the King of Commagene, [[Mithridates III of Commagene|Mithridates III]] who reigned from 20 BC until 12 BC from his cousin-wife Queen Iotapa, thus was a sister of [[Antiochus III of Commagene]].<ref>Royal genealogy of Mithradates III of Commagene at rootsweb</ref> She was mostly probably born, raised and educated in [[Samosata]], the capital of the Kingdom of Commagene. Aka II is the namesake of [[Aka I of Commagene]], a former Commagenian Princess who was the daughter of [[Antiochis of Commagene]] who was the first cousin of her parents.

At an unknown date in the late first century BC, Aka II married an [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] [[Greeks|Greek]] called [[Thrasyllus of Mendes]]<ref>Beck, ''Beck on Mithraism: Collected Works With New Essays'', p.42-3</ref> and the circumstances that led Thrasyllus to marry Aka II are unknown. Aka II is known from a preserved incomplete poem, that mentions Aka II as the wife of Thrasyllus and mentions she was of royal origins.<ref>see Conrad Cichorius (1927) p. 103 note and Gundel/S. Gundel (1966) 148f. and 14th note</ref> 

Thrasyllus was a Grammarian, Literary Commentator who served as the astrologer and became the personal friend of the [[Roman emperor]] [[Tiberius]]<ref>Holden, ''A History of Horoscopic Astrology'', p.26</ref>, who reigned from 14 until 37. As Tiberius had held Thrasyllus in the highest honor, Tiberius rewarded Thrasyllus for his friendship by giving him, Roman citizenship<ref>Levick, ''Tiberius: The Politician'', p.7</ref> to him and his family. From given Roman citizenship, Aka II became known as ''Claudia Aka'', as her husband became known as ''Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus''.<ref>Levick, ''Tiberius: The Politician'', p.137</ref> Aka II died at an unknown date in the first century.

Aka II bore Thrasyllus two known children: 
* an unnamed daughter<ref>Levick, ''Tiberius: The Politician'', p.p.137&230</ref><ref>Genealogy of daughter of Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus & Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb</ref> who married [[Roman equestrian order|the Eques]] [[Lucius Ennius]].<ref>Levick, ''Tiberius: The Politician'', p.p.137&230</ref><ref>Genealogy of daughter of Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus & Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb</ref> She bore Ennius, a daughter called [[Ennia Thrasylla]]<ref>Levick, ''Tiberius: The Politician'', p.p.137&230</ref><ref>Genealogy of daughter of Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus & Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb</ref> and perhaps a son called Lucius Ennius who was the father of Lucius Ennius Ferox, a Roman Soldier who served during the reign of the Roman emperor [[Vespasian]]<ref>Coleman-Norton, ''Ancient Roman Statutes'', p.151-2</ref> from 69 until 79 

* a son called [[Tiberius Claudius Balbilus]]<ref>Holden, ''A History of Horoscopic Astrology'', p.29</ref><ref>Beck, ''Beck on Mithraism: Collected Works With New Essays'', p.42-3</ref><ref>Royal genealogy of Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb</ref>, through whom she had further descendants

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* P. Robinson Coleman-Norton & F. Card Bourne, Ancient Roman Statutes, The Lawbook Exchange Limited, 1961
* B. Levick, Tiberius: The Politician, Routledge, 1999 
* R. Beck, Beck on Mithraism: Collected Works With New Essays, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2004
* J.H. Holden, A History of Horoscopic Astrology, American Federation of Astrology, 2006
* Royal genealogy of Mithradates III of Commagene at rootsweb 
* Royal genealogy of Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb 
* Genealogy of daughter of Tiberius Claudius Thrasyllus & Aka II of Commagene at rootsweb 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aka 02 Of Commagene}}
[[Category:Commagene]]
[[Category:1st-century BC women]]
[[Category:1st-century women]]