Monime

Who is Monime?

Monime, sometimes known as Monima, was a Greek Macedonian noblewoman from Anatolia and one of the wives of King Mithridates VI of Pontus.

According to the ancient sources she was a citizen of either Miletus or Stratonicea, Caria. Monime was the daughter of a prominent citizen called Philopoemen. Monime was a beautiful, intelligent woman and was much talked about among the Greeks.

When the King Mithridates VI of Pontus and his army successfully captured her native city in 89/88 BC, her beauty made a great impression on Mithridates VI. He was strongly drawn to her and Mithridates VI was attracted to powerful personalities whose intelligence complemented his own. Mithridates VI thought of making Monime the jewel of his harem, he began negotiations with Philopoemen. Mithridates VI offered her father 1500 gold pieces. She rejected the offer and she held out for more. Monime demanded from Mithridates VI a marriage contract and insisted that he give her a royal Diadem and the title of ‘Queen’. Although he found Monime irresistible, Mithridates VI agreed to what Monime wanted.

The royal scribes prepared the marriage contract.