Teres II or Teres III () was a king of the Odrysians in Thrace from 351 BC to 341 BC.
The variation in numbering indicates disagreement among scholars, some of whom include as Teres II the paradynast of Amadocus I and rival of Seuthes II who ruled near Byzantium in c. 400 BC,Mihailov 1989: 54; Zahrnt 2015: 43. since that Teres is specifically called an Odrysian, and since Seuthes II himself was also a paradynast. The present Teres is therefore found variously as "Teres II" For example, Topalov 1994: 8. or "Teres III" For example, Vulpe 1976: 34–35; Mihailov 1989: 54–55. in the literature.
Teres II or III is generally assumed to have been the son of Amadocus II, on the basis of historical succession and coin types.Mihailov 1989: 54–55; Topalov 1994: 53–71. This identification is possibly supported by an inscription naming "Tērēs (son) of Amatokos" on a silver bowl found at the village of Braničevo in northeastern Bulgaria.Mihailov 1989: 48, 54–55. Amadocus II, who ruled the central portion of Thrace, disappears from the sources at the time of a military intervention by Philip II of Macedon in 352/351 BC, and Teres appears to have succeeded him at this point. Since Demosthenes stated that Philip had "expelled some kings and replaced them with others," Teres may have come to the throne as Philip's appointee, although Demosthenes' statement is usually associated with the heirs of Berisades in western Thrace.Delev 2015: 49–50; Tacheva 2006: 182 suggests identifying "Teres II (III)" with the Teres attested as son of the eastern Thracian king Cersobleptes, and with the unnamed son of Cersobleptes, who had been sent as hostage to Philip's court. During a subsequent Macedonian campaign in Thrace under Philip's general Antipater in 347/346 BC, Teres kept his throne, apparently allying with Philip against the eastern Thracian king Cersobleptes.Mihailov 1989: 55. This state of affairs lasted until Philip's later and more prolonged campaign in Thrace in 342–340 BC.Delev 2015: 50. After several victories over the Thracians, Philip subjugated the country, deposing both Teres and Cersobleptes, presumably in 341 BC.Vulpe 1976: 35; Mihailov 1989: 55; Delev 2015: 51.
On the basis of coin distribution and other circumstantial evidence, Teres has been identified as a kinsman (father?) and precursor of the later king Seuthes III,Topalov 2001: 273–278. Mladjov, Rulers of Thrace, University of Michigan one of whose sons was also named Teres.
See also List of Thracian tribes
References Citations
Bibliography P. Delev, "Thrace from the Assassination of Kotys I to Koroupedion (360-281 BCE)", in Valeva et al. (eds.), A Companion to Ancient Thrace, Wiley, 2015: 48–58. A. Fol et al., The Rogozen Treasure, Sofia, 1989. G. Mihailov, "The Inscriptions", in: Fol et al., The Rogozen Treasure, Sofia, 1989: 46–71. M. Tacheva, The Kings of Ancient Thrace. Book One, Sofia, 2006. S. Topalov, The Odrysian Kingdom from the Late 5th to the Mid-4th C. B.C., Sofia, 1994. S. Topalov, Contributions to the Study of the Coinage and History in the Lands of Eastern Thrace from the End of the 4th C. B.C. to the end of the 3rd C. B.C., Sofia, 2001. J. Valeva et al. (eds.), A Companion to Ancient Thrace, Wiley, 2015. R. Vulpe, Studia Thracologica, Bucharest, 1976. M. Zahrnt, "Early History of Thrace to the Murder of Kotys I (360 BCE)", in: J. Valeva et al. (eds.), A Companion to Ancient Thrace, Wiley, 2015: 35–47.