Artabanus IV of Parthia
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Artabanus IV of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire
(c. 216 – 224). He was the younger son of Vologases V
who died in 208. Artabanus rebelled against his brother Vologases VI
, and soon gained the upper hand, although Vologases VI maintained himself in a part of Babylonia
until about 228.
The Roman
emperor Caracalla
, wishing to make use of this civil war for a conquest of the East in imitation of his idol, Alexander the Great, attacked the Parthians in 216. He crossed the Tigris
, destroyed the towns and spoiled the tombs of Arbela
, but when Artabanus advanced at the head of an army, he retired to Carrhae. There Caracalla was murdered by Martialis on April 8, 217. Caracalla's successor, the Praetorian Prefect of the Guard Macrinus
, was defeated at Nisibis
and concluded a peace with Artabanus, in which he gave up all the Roman conquests, restored the booty, and paid a heavy contribution to the Parthians.
In Susa
was found a stela, showing the king and the satrap Khwasak
. The stela dates to year 215 and demonstrated that the city was at that time part of the Parthian empire. There are indications that it was before independent.
At about this time, Ardashir had begun his conquests in Persia and Carmania
. This expansion came to the attention of the Arsacid Great King, Artabanus IV, who ordered his vassal, the ruler of Khuzestan, to confront Ardashir. It was Ardashir, however, who emerged victorious in that battle. In 224, Artabanus IV himself invaded Fars to confront the rebelling Ardashir. The latter won the first battle, but with heavy losses on both sides. In the second battle, the Parthians suffered a greater loss, and Ardashir was again deemed the victor. Their armies clashed once again in a final battle at Hormozgan, near the modern city of Bandar Abbas. At this encounter, the Parthian army was completely defeated, and Artabanus IV was killed. This ended the 400-year rule of the Arsacid Dynasty.
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
(c. 216 – 224). He was the younger son of Vologases V
Vologases V of Parthia
Vologases V of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from 191 to 208. He was the son of Vologases IV . His succession was not uncontested; a rival King Osroes II had already set himself up in Media before the death of the previous ruler, but Vologases V appears to have quickly put him down.Vologases...
who died in 208. Artabanus rebelled against his brother Vologases VI
Vologases VI of Parthia
]Vologases VI of Parthia succeeded his father Vologases V of Parthia to the throne of the Parthian Empire in 208. Soon after his accession his brother Artabanus IV rebelled against him, and became master of the greater part of the empire...
, and soon gained the upper hand, although Vologases VI maintained himself in a part of Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
until about 228.
The Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
emperor Caracalla
Caracalla
Caracalla , was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. The eldest son of Septimius Severus, he ruled jointly with his younger brother Geta until he murdered the latter in 211...
, wishing to make use of this civil war for a conquest of the East in imitation of his idol, Alexander the Great, attacked the Parthians in 216. He crossed the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
, destroyed the towns and spoiled the tombs of Arbela
Arbela
Arbela may refer to:*An important city in ancient Jordan, located on the site of modern Irbid, Jordan*The ancient name of the city of Arbil in northern Iraq*Ancient Jewish settlement in Galilee, near the modern moshav Arbel, Israel....
, but when Artabanus advanced at the head of an army, he retired to Carrhae. There Caracalla was murdered by Martialis on April 8, 217. Caracalla's successor, the Praetorian Prefect of the Guard Macrinus
Macrinus
Macrinus , was Roman Emperor from 217 to 218. Macrinus was of "Moorish" descent and the first emperor to become so without membership in the senatorial class.-Background and career:...
, was defeated at Nisibis
Battle of Nisibis (217)
The Battle of Nisibis was fought in the summer of 217 between the armies of the Roman Empire under the newly ascended emperor Macrinus and the Parthian army of King Artabanus IV. It lasted for three days, and resulted in a bloody draw, with both sides suffering large casualties...
and concluded a peace with Artabanus, in which he gave up all the Roman conquests, restored the booty, and paid a heavy contribution to the Parthians.
In Susa
Susa
Susa was an ancient city of the Elamite, Persian and Parthian empires of Iran. It is located in the lower Zagros Mountains about east of the Tigris River, between the Karkheh and Dez Rivers....
was found a stela, showing the king and the satrap Khwasak
Khwasak
Khwasak was at the beginning of the 3rd century AD, the Satrap von Susa under the Parthian king Artabanus IV.Khwasak is known from a stela found at Susa. The function of the stela is unknown but might have been a tomb stone. On the stela is shown Khwasak and the king. The king is handing over the...
. The stela dates to year 215 and demonstrated that the city was at that time part of the Parthian empire. There are indications that it was before independent.
At about this time, Ardashir had begun his conquests in Persia and Carmania
Carmania
Carmania may refer to* Carmania, ancient satrapy of the Achaemenid Persian empire.* Carmania - a diecast model producer.* Kermān Province in the south-east of Iran.* RMS Carmania , a Cunard liner built 1905...
. This expansion came to the attention of the Arsacid Great King, Artabanus IV, who ordered his vassal, the ruler of Khuzestan, to confront Ardashir. It was Ardashir, however, who emerged victorious in that battle. In 224, Artabanus IV himself invaded Fars to confront the rebelling Ardashir. The latter won the first battle, but with heavy losses on both sides. In the second battle, the Parthians suffered a greater loss, and Ardashir was again deemed the victor. Their armies clashed once again in a final battle at Hormozgan, near the modern city of Bandar Abbas. At this encounter, the Parthian army was completely defeated, and Artabanus IV was killed. This ended the 400-year rule of the Arsacid Dynasty.