Archelaus IV, later Archelaus, King of Cappadocia (in Greekο Αρχέλαος, born Sisines, flourished 1st century BC & 1st century, died 17) was the last King of Cappadocia. He was the son of Archelaus III, High Priest of Comana, and wife Galaphyra (mistress of Mark Anthony), paternal grandson of Archelaus II, created High Priest of Comana in Cappadocia in 60 BC by Pompey, possibly made co-regent on marriage, but killed in battle against the forces of A. Gabinius, Roman Governor of Syria, in January or February 55 BC, by first wife ..., and great-grandson of Archelaus I, a general in the First and Third Mithridatic Wars.
In 36 BC, Archelaus was made king by triumvir Mark Antony, whom, however, he deserted after the Battle of Actium. Archelaus had succeeded King Ariarathes X. Roman EmperorAugustus enlarged his kingdom by the addition of parts of Cilicia and Lesser Armenia. He was not popular with his subjects, who even brought an accusation against him in Rome on which occasion he was defended by Roman Emperor Tiberius.
Archelaus from his first marriage (his wife is unknown) had two children: a son of the same name and a daughter named Glaphyra. Through his daughter, he would be the maternal grandfather of her sons Alexander and Tigranes and the great grandfather of Julius Tigranes, who would be King of Armenia under the Roman EmperorNero. After 8 BC, Archelaus had married Queen Pythodorida of Pontus and became a stepfather to her three children from her first marriage. Pythodorida remained married to Archelaus until he died and they had no children. Pythodorida then later returned to Pontus with her family.
Subsequently he was accused by Tiberius, when emperor, of endeavouring to stir up a revolution, and died in confinement in Rome. Cappadocia was then made a Roman province. Archelaus was said to have been the author of a geographical work, and to have written treatises On Stones and Rivers.
