A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

(Σεύθης).

1. A king of the Thracian tribe of the Odrysians, was a son of Sparadocus or Spardacus, and nephew of Sitalces, king of the Odrysians, whom he accompanied on his great expedition into Macedonia, B. C. 429. On that occasion he was gained over by Perdiccas, king of Macedonia, who promised him his sister Stratonice in marriage; and in consequence exerted all his influence with Sitalces to induce him to withdraw his army from Macedonia. His efforts were successful, and after his return to Thrace, he was married to Stratonice according to the agreement (Thuc. 2.101). In B. C. 424 he succeeded Sitalces on the throne, and during a long reign raised his kingdom to a height of power and prosperity which it had never previously attained, so that his regular revenues amounted to the annual sum of 400 talents, in addition to contributions of gold and silver in the form of presents to a nearly equal amount (Thuc. 2.97, 4.101.). From a passage in the letter of Philip to the Athenian people (apud Demnosth. p. 161, ed. Reiske) it would appear that Seuthes was accused of having had some hand in the death of Sitalces; but this is wholly at variance with the account given by Thucydides [SITALCES]. From the same passage we learn that he maintained friendly relations with the Athenian people, by whom he was admitted to the privileges of citizenship.