Index Cavarus Rex Thraciae

Collection of Greek Coins of Thrace

Cavarus Rex Gallicus Thraciae 230-213 BC
Καύαρος Γαλάτις Βασιλέας Θράκης

BMC Thrace: ca. 219 BC; BM I Black Sea: 225-218 BC; Copenhagen: (219-200 BC); Head: 219-200 BC;
McClean: ca. 219-200 BC; Milano: 210-200 BC; Moushmov: 210-200 BC; Sear: 219-200 BC;
Stancomb: 230-218 BC; Youroukova: 278-213 BC

   Celtic tribes under pressure from the west moved east and reached the Balkan peninsula at the end of the 4th c. BC. Their first attempt at an invasion of Thrace was repulsed by Lysimachos. However, after his death, 281 BC, and the collapse of his kingdom they moved south and ravaged Macedonia and Greece. At Delphi they were defeated and had to turn back north. One of their tribes under the leadership of Comantorius (or Komontorius) entered Thrace where they settled in the region of Hadrianopolis with the their capital Tylis. From this base they ravaged and pillaged the coastal cities of the Propontis. Byzantion had to pay a yearly tribute of 80 talents.

   This situation lasted for about 70 years. 277 BC Antigonos of Macedonia met close to Lysimacheia a Galatian force of about 20000 men. The battle ended with the victory of the former inflicting high losses to the Celtic army, initiating the decline of the Gaulish Kingdom of Tylis. Under the continuous attacks from thracian dynasts and the uprisings of the indigenous tribes the Kingdom fell appart 213 BC.

   Kavaros (Cavarus) was the last ruler of the Gaulish kingdom of Tylis. His reign was rather peaceful. 220 BC he mediated in the conflict between Prussias of Bythinia and Rhodos on the one side and Byzantion on the other and arranged for the agreement of Aigosages.

[Ιστορία του ελληνικού έθνους, Τόμος Δ', σελ. 370-374 & 412; Domaradzki Mieczyslaw (1978)]