Leotychidas of Antioch

Leotychidas of Antioch (Ancient Greek: Λεωτυχίδας ὁ Ἀντιόχεια) was a Greek explorer, military commander and author from the Seleucid Empire. He is best known for his expeditions into Hyperborea, particularly his second which was the most arduous and compelling.

He was born in Theocydia-on-the-Cydnus to a relatively wealthy family, but moved to Antioch where he grew up. He became fond of exploration after spending time browsing maps during his scholarly years. He then enlisted in the military, and fought in the Chorasmian Rebellion and the First Bosucheonic War. With his ability to command, he was then commissioned by the Athenodorus I Anicetus and Seleucus XII Nicephorus to lead two expeditions from Corcynthus, a Seleucid colony on the north of the Caspian Sea that resides on the Posagas River. The first expedition explored lands around the River, and established outposts and a few colonies, also securing relations with the Huns. The second expedition was to explore the lands beyond the Posagas, termed Hyperposagia. However, after encountering an aggressive and cannabalistic people known as the Dermapoi, he and his expeditionary force wandered northward and eastward. In this period of his expedition, he was among the first people to discover the Arctic Ocean, before venturing southward to reach the Polycastian Barrier. However, a series of errors and frequent attacks by hostile peoples made his expedition wander in Siberia for months, and often resulted in Leotychidas being confronted by his disgruntled officers and soldiers. Later on, he encountered an ancient Siberian tribal confederation named the Hyperbosians, and met with its rulers Nisos and Damaris who treated him and his expedition well; during his stay, he introduced his manuscripts that inspired the rulers to draft the Hyperbosian alphabet with his assistance, and was also employed by them to keep the Dermapoi out of their territory. Afterwards, he then reached the camp of Speusippus of Thebes and was enlisted to fight in the Second Bosucheonic War. After choosing to return home, Leotychidas attended to Seleucus XII to recount his expedition. After the death of his wife, he retired to Bactra where he later died after alcoholic complications.

Leotychidas's accounts of his second expedition, known as the Hyperborean Odyssey, became famous throughout the Empire and gave firsthand insight into Siberia and its peoples. It also inspired three more expeditions into Siberia and North Asia, and further consolidated relations with Hyperbosia. Alongside, it served as an inspiration for a Medicaste's series of plays named the Leotychidaia, which became popular alongside the Susandariad.