(Ἀριοβαρζάνης).
1. The name of three kings or satraps of Pontus.
I. Was betrayed by his son Mithridates to the Persian king. (Xen. Cyr. 8.8.4; Aristot. Pol. 5.8.15, ed. Schneid.) It is doubtful whether this Ariobarzanes is the same who conducted the Athenian ambassadors, in B. C. 405, to the sea-coast of Mysia, after they had been detained three years by order of Cyrus (Xen. Hell. 1.4.7), or the same who assisted Antalcidas in B. C. 388. (Id. 5.1.28.)
II. Succeeded his father, Mithridates I., and reigned 26 years, B. C. 363-337. (Diod. 16.90.) He appears to have held some high office in the Persian court five years before the death of his father, as we find him, apparently on behalf of the king, sending an embassy to Greece in B. C. 368. (Xen. Hell. 7.1.27.) Ariobarzanes, who is called by Diodorus (15.90) satrap of Phrygia, and by Nepos (Datam. 100.2) satrap of Lydia, Ionia, and Phrygia, revolted from Artaxerxes in B. C. 362, and may be regarded as the founder of the independent kingdom of Pontus. Demosthenes, in B. C. 352, speaks of Ariobarzanes and his three sons having been lately made Athenian citizens. (In Aristocrat. pp. 666, 687.) He mentions him again (pro Rhod. p. 193) in the following year, B. C. 351, and says, that the Athenians had sent Timotheus to his assistance; but that when the Athenian general saw that Ariobarzanes was in open revolt against the king, he refused to assist him.
III. The son of Mithridates III., began to reign B. C. 266 and died about B. C. 240. He obtained possession of the city of Amastris, which was surrendered to him. (Memnon, cc. 16, 24, ed. Orelli.) Ariobarzanes and his father, Mithridates, sought the assistance of the Gauls, who had come into Asia twelve years before the death of Mithridates, to expel the Egyptians sent by Ptolemy. (Apollon. apud Steph. Byz. s. v. Ἄγκυρα.) Ariobarzanes was succeeded by Mithridates IV.