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Artabanus II of Parthia
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Artabanus II of Parthia
Artabanus II (also spelled Artabanos II or Ardawan II; Parthian: 𐭍𐭐𐭕𐭓 Ardawān), incorrectly known in older scholarship as Artabanus III, was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 12 to 38/41 AD, with a one-year interruption. He was the nephew and successor of Vonones I (r. 8–12). His father has been variously identified as a Dahae or Atropatid prince, whilst his mother was a daughter of the Parthian King of Kings Phraates IV (r. 37–2 BC).
Before his ascension to the Parthian throne, Artabanus had ruled as king of Media Atropatene, which later served as his base of attacks against the Roman-supported Parthian king Vonones I. Artabanus eventually defeated Vonones I, who fled to Armenia and became its king. Artabanus' efforts to replace Vonones I with his son were blocked by the Romans, who eventually reached an agreement with the Parthians to appoint Artaxias III the new king of Armenia and renounce their support of Vonones I.
Artabanus is the Latin form of the Greek Artábanos (Ἁρτάβανος), itself from the Old Persian *Arta-bānu ("the glory of Arta."). The Parthian and Middle Persian variant was Ardawān (𐭍𐭐𐭕𐭓).
Artabanus was not from the ruling branch of the Arsacid royal family. Tacitus in his Annals records that supporters of the rival ruler Tiridates III (r. 36–35 AD) viewed Artabanus as an "Arsacid on his mother's side, but in all else a degenerate". However, historian Marek Olbrycht notes that Tacitus, as well as Josephus and Cassius Dio, refer to Artabanus and his sons as Arsacids. Olbrycht concludes, therefore, that Artabanus was a male-line Arsacid, likely descended from Mithridates II of Parthia (r. 124–88 BC), through a branch of the family living among the Dahae people (with whom Artabanus had been reared). Olbrycht suggests that Artabanus' mother was a daughter of the Parthian King of Kings Phraates IV (r. 37–2 BC). As a result of this connection, the family of Tiridates III, the male-line grandson of Phraates IV, would have acknowledged Artabanus' maternal Arsacid ancestry, though not his paternal, having viewed all other branches of the family as illegitimate.
However, historians Josef Markwart and Martin Schottky assign to Artabanus a descent from the Atropatid dynasty, the erstwhile rulers of Media-Atropatene. This was a region controlled afterwards by Artabanus, prior to his ascension to the Parthian throne. Historian Richard D. Sullivan notes that Strabo, writing during this latter period, recorded that the line of succession from the dynasty's founder Atropates "is preserved until now", possibly implying that Artabanus' occupation of Media-Atropatene was considered a continuation of Atropatid rule. Strabo also mentioned that intermarriage had occurred between the Arsacids and the Atropatids. Sullivan suggests, therefore, that Artabanus was the result of the union between an Atropatid prince and an Arsacid princess in c. 31 BC, therefore accounting for Tacitus' statement of his ancestry. Sullivan further states that this would explain the acceptability of Artabanus' (and later his brother Vonones II's) rule over both Parthia and Media-Atropatene. Schottky identifies this royal couple as having been a son of Darius I of Media Atropatene (r. 66–65 BC) (whom Schottky deduces to have also been named Darius) and a daughter of Phraates IV. Alternatively, historian Christian Settipani proposes that the Atropatid prince was a son of Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene (r. 56–31 BC).
Born between 30–25 BC, Artabanus was raised amongst the Dahae in Central Asia. When he reached adulthood, he became the ruler of Media Atropatene, which occurred sometime during the late reign of Phraates IV or during the reign of the latter's son and successor Phraates V (r. 4 BC – 2 AD). The factor behind Artabanus' rise to kingship of Media Atropatene is unclear. The kingdom served as Artabanus' headquarters of his attacks against the Parthian king Vonones I (r. 8–12 AD), with whom he fought against over the crown. Vonones I, who had originally resided in Rome, had been placed on the Parthian throne by a faction led by the Karin and Suren clans. His rule was supported by the Romans. However, the Parthian nobility was quickly alienated by Vonones I, who had become Romanized during his stay in Rome. This increased Artabanus' odds—after years of fighting—to finally defeat Vonones I, who fled to Armenia and became its king.
Artabanus, now the monarch of the Parthian Empire, attempted to depose Vonones I from the Armenian throne and appoint his own son instead. This attempt was instantly opposed by the Romans, who regarded this as posing a danger to their interests. As a result, the Roman emperor Tiberius (r. 14–37 AD) sent his stepson Germanicus to prevent this from happening. However, the Roman general met no resistance from the Parthians. Instead, Germanicus reached an agreement with Artabanus to appoint Artaxias III the new king of Armenia and renounce their support of Vonones I. The Romans thus acknowledged Artabanus as the legitimate Parthian ruler. In order to ratify the friendly relationship between the two empires, Artabanus and Germanicus met on an island in the Euphrates in 18 AD.
The Romans moved Vonones I to Cilicia, where he was killed the following year after attempting to flee. His death and the now unchallenged dominance of Artabanus split the Parthian nobility, since not all of them supported a new branch of the Arsacid family taking over the empire. In 19/20 AD, the Parthian satrap of Sakastan, Drangiana and Arachosia, named Gondophares, declared independence from Artabanus and founded the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. He assumed the titles of "Great King of Kings" and "Autokrator", demonstrating his new-found independence. Nevertheless, Artabanus and Gondophares most likely reached an agreement that the Indo-Parthians would not intervene in the affairs of the Arsacids.
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Artabanus II of Parthia
Artabanus II (also spelled Artabanos II or Ardawan II; Parthian: 𐭍𐭐𐭕𐭓 Ardawān), incorrectly known in older scholarship as Artabanus III, was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 12 to 38/41 AD, with a one-year interruption. He was the nephew and successor of Vonones I (r. 8–12). His father has been variously identified as a Dahae or Atropatid prince, whilst his mother was a daughter of the Parthian King of Kings Phraates IV (r. 37–2 BC).
Before his ascension to the Parthian throne, Artabanus had ruled as king of Media Atropatene, which later served as his base of attacks against the Roman-supported Parthian king Vonones I. Artabanus eventually defeated Vonones I, who fled to Armenia and became its king. Artabanus' efforts to replace Vonones I with his son were blocked by the Romans, who eventually reached an agreement with the Parthians to appoint Artaxias III the new king of Armenia and renounce their support of Vonones I.
Artabanus is the Latin form of the Greek Artábanos (Ἁρτάβανος), itself from the Old Persian *Arta-bānu ("the glory of Arta."). The Parthian and Middle Persian variant was Ardawān (𐭍𐭐𐭕𐭓).
Artabanus was not from the ruling branch of the Arsacid royal family. Tacitus in his Annals records that supporters of the rival ruler Tiridates III (r. 36–35 AD) viewed Artabanus as an "Arsacid on his mother's side, but in all else a degenerate". However, historian Marek Olbrycht notes that Tacitus, as well as Josephus and Cassius Dio, refer to Artabanus and his sons as Arsacids. Olbrycht concludes, therefore, that Artabanus was a male-line Arsacid, likely descended from Mithridates II of Parthia (r. 124–88 BC), through a branch of the family living among the Dahae people (with whom Artabanus had been reared). Olbrycht suggests that Artabanus' mother was a daughter of the Parthian King of Kings Phraates IV (r. 37–2 BC). As a result of this connection, the family of Tiridates III, the male-line grandson of Phraates IV, would have acknowledged Artabanus' maternal Arsacid ancestry, though not his paternal, having viewed all other branches of the family as illegitimate.
However, historians Josef Markwart and Martin Schottky assign to Artabanus a descent from the Atropatid dynasty, the erstwhile rulers of Media-Atropatene. This was a region controlled afterwards by Artabanus, prior to his ascension to the Parthian throne. Historian Richard D. Sullivan notes that Strabo, writing during this latter period, recorded that the line of succession from the dynasty's founder Atropates "is preserved until now", possibly implying that Artabanus' occupation of Media-Atropatene was considered a continuation of Atropatid rule. Strabo also mentioned that intermarriage had occurred between the Arsacids and the Atropatids. Sullivan suggests, therefore, that Artabanus was the result of the union between an Atropatid prince and an Arsacid princess in c. 31 BC, therefore accounting for Tacitus' statement of his ancestry. Sullivan further states that this would explain the acceptability of Artabanus' (and later his brother Vonones II's) rule over both Parthia and Media-Atropatene. Schottky identifies this royal couple as having been a son of Darius I of Media Atropatene (r. 66–65 BC) (whom Schottky deduces to have also been named Darius) and a daughter of Phraates IV. Alternatively, historian Christian Settipani proposes that the Atropatid prince was a son of Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene (r. 56–31 BC).
Born between 30–25 BC, Artabanus was raised amongst the Dahae in Central Asia. When he reached adulthood, he became the ruler of Media Atropatene, which occurred sometime during the late reign of Phraates IV or during the reign of the latter's son and successor Phraates V (r. 4 BC – 2 AD). The factor behind Artabanus' rise to kingship of Media Atropatene is unclear. The kingdom served as Artabanus' headquarters of his attacks against the Parthian king Vonones I (r. 8–12 AD), with whom he fought against over the crown. Vonones I, who had originally resided in Rome, had been placed on the Parthian throne by a faction led by the Karin and Suren clans. His rule was supported by the Romans. However, the Parthian nobility was quickly alienated by Vonones I, who had become Romanized during his stay in Rome. This increased Artabanus' odds—after years of fighting—to finally defeat Vonones I, who fled to Armenia and became its king.
Artabanus, now the monarch of the Parthian Empire, attempted to depose Vonones I from the Armenian throne and appoint his own son instead. This attempt was instantly opposed by the Romans, who regarded this as posing a danger to their interests. As a result, the Roman emperor Tiberius (r. 14–37 AD) sent his stepson Germanicus to prevent this from happening. However, the Roman general met no resistance from the Parthians. Instead, Germanicus reached an agreement with Artabanus to appoint Artaxias III the new king of Armenia and renounce their support of Vonones I. The Romans thus acknowledged Artabanus as the legitimate Parthian ruler. In order to ratify the friendly relationship between the two empires, Artabanus and Germanicus met on an island in the Euphrates in 18 AD.
The Romans moved Vonones I to Cilicia, where he was killed the following year after attempting to flee. His death and the now unchallenged dominance of Artabanus split the Parthian nobility, since not all of them supported a new branch of the Arsacid family taking over the empire. In 19/20 AD, the Parthian satrap of Sakastan, Drangiana and Arachosia, named Gondophares, declared independence from Artabanus and founded the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. He assumed the titles of "Great King of Kings" and "Autokrator", demonstrating his new-found independence. Nevertheless, Artabanus and Gondophares most likely reached an agreement that the Indo-Parthians would not intervene in the affairs of the Arsacids.
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