Elymais
Elymais | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 147 BC–221/222 AD | |||||||||
 Approximate extent of Elymais in 51 BC. | |||||||||
| Status | Autonomous state, frequently a vassal of theParthian Empire | ||||||||
| Capital | Susa | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| King of Elymais | |||||||||
• ca. 147 BC | Kamnaskires I Soter | ||||||||
• 221/222 AD | Orodes V | ||||||||
| Historical era | Classical antiquity | ||||||||
• Established | 147 BC | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 221/222 AD | ||||||||
| |||||||||
ElymaisorElamais(Ἐλυμαΐς,Hellenicform of the more ancient name,Elam) was an autonomous state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, frequently a vassal underParthiancontrol. It was located at the head of thePersian GulfinSusiana(the present-day region ofKhuzestan,Iran).[1]Most of the population probably descended from the ancientElamites,[1]who once had control of that area.
General information
[edit]The Elymaeans were reputed to be skilled archers. In 187 BC, they killedAntiochus III the Greatafter he had pillaged their temple ofBel.Nothing is known of their language, even thoughElamitewas still used by theAchaemenid Empire250 years before the kingdom of Elymais came into existence.[2]A number ofAramaicinscriptions are found in Elymais.[3]
The region's "wealth in silver and gold" is referred to in thedeutero-canonicalwork1 Maccabees,which refers to Elymais as a "city" of interest toAntiochus IV Epiphanes:the narrative there states that "its temple was very rich, containing golden coverings, breastplates, and weapons left there byAlexanderson ofPhilip,the Macedonian king who first reigned over the Greeks. So [Antiochus] came and tried to take the city and plunder it, but he could not because his plan had become known to the citizens. "[4]Jewish historianUriel Rappaportwrites that the author of 1 Maccabees was "mistaken" - "Elymais was not a city but a country" - and that "no story about treasures [Alexander] left in Elymais is mentioned elsewhere".[5]
The provinces of Elymais were Massabatice (laterMasabadhan), Corbiane and Gabiane.Susalay to the east of the territory of Elymais. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by aSasanianinvasion in the early 3rd century AD.
Coinage
[edit]
Thecoinsof Elymais depicted a king; it is not known whether this was aParthianking or a local ruler, as such information has not come to light. These coins were based onGreekstandards of debasedDrachmsandTetradrachms.The royal picture is generally based on Parthian coinage, usually with an anchor with a star in crescent figure. The reverse has a figure or bust ofArtemiswith text around it, an eagle, or often only elongated dots (this has lednumismatiststo believe that theengraversdidn't know Greek or copied from coins whose writing was already unintelligible).[6]
A variant ofAramaic,which was more conservative than the contemporaryLate Old Eastern Aramaicspoken in eastern Mesopotamia, has been recorded in Elymais until the rise of theSasanians.The chancellery of Elymais developed its own variant of theAramaic Alpha bet,which was characterized bycursiveletters and frequent use ofligatures,apparently influenced by the contemporaryParthianchancellery script. However, there is no evidence that Aramaic was a spoken language in Elymais.[7]It is recorded only in coins (since Orodes III) and inscriptions, such as those ofTang-e Sarvak.[8]
List of kings
[edit]Kamnaskirid dynasty
[edit]- Kamnaskires I Soter (c.147 BC?)[9]
- Kamnaskires II Nikephoros(c. 147–139 BC)[9]
- From 140/139 BC, Elymais was then under direct Parthian control for several decades, with occasional rebellions, until around 82 BC.[10]Known usurpers or rebels include:
- Kamnaskires IIIwithAnzaze(c. 82–62/61 BC)[15][c]
- Kamnaskires IV(1st century BC)[18]
- Kamnaskires V (late 1st century BC)[9]
- Kamnaskires VI (mid/late 1st century AD)[19][d]
Arsacid dynasty
[edit]- Orodes I(late 1st century)[21]
- Orodes II(late 1st/early 2nd century)[22]
- Phraates (late 1st/early 2nd century)[22]
- Osroes(2nd century)[23]
- Orodes III with Ulfan (2nd century)[24]
- Abar-Basi (2nd century)[24]
- Orodes IV(fromc.165/170)[24]
- Khwasak(3rd century)[25]
- Orodes V (3rd century)[24]
Notes
[edit]- ^Rezakhani (2013) placed Okkonapses significantly earlier, as a local rebel already in 188–187 BC, against the Seleucid kingAntiochus III.[12]
- ^Shayegan (2011) speculates that an Elamite prince referenced in Babylonian sources, Kamnaskires Soter, was placed on the Elamite throne by the Parthian kingPhraates IIafter Tigraios's defeat and ruled Elymais 133–130 BC.[13]Other scholars omit this figure.[9]
- ^Kamnaskires III's and Anzaze's coins are attested 82–75 BC.[9][16]Shayegan (2011) speculated that they ruled until having diplomatic dealings with the Roman generalPompeyin 62/61 after which they were replaced by the Parthians with their son, also named Kamnaskires.[17]
- ^Kamnaskires VI is always depicted as old on his coins, perhaps reflecting records of an unidentified Kamnaskires living to the age of 96.[20]
References
[edit]- ^abHansman, John F."ELYMAIS".Encyclopædia Iranica.Retrieved2012-12-24.
- ^G. CameronPersepolis Treasury Tablets(1948), and R. Hallock,Persepolis Fortification Tablets(1969). See alsoPersepolis Fortification Archive.
- ^Gzella, H. (2008) Aramaic in the Parthian Period: The Arsacid Inscriptions. In Gzella, H. & Folmer, M.L. (Eds.) Aramaic in its Historical and Linguistic Setting. Wiesbaden. P. 107-130
- ^1 Maccabees 6:1–3:New Revised Standard Version
- ^Rappaport, Uriel(2001)."1 Maccabees".InBarton, John;Muddiman, John(eds.).The Oxford Bible Commentary(Online ed.). Oxford University Press.ISBN9780191979897.
- ^Coins of Elymais
- ^Gzella, Holger; Folmer, M. L. (2008).Aramaic in Its Historical and Linguistic Setting.Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 112.ISBN978-3-447-05787-5.
- ^Šafiʿī, I. (30 December 2018)."Aramaic Traces through Coins in the Iranian World".The Oriental Studies.2018(82): 101–122.doi:10.15407/skhodoznavstvo2018.82.101.
- ^abcdeWiesehöfer 1996,p. 318.
- ^Shayegan 2011,p. 118.
- ^abShayegan 2011,p. 122;Wiesehöfer 1996,p. 318.
- ^Rezakhani 2013,p. 771.
- ^abShayegan 2011,p. 122.
- ^van't Haaff 2007,pp. 6–7, 61.
- ^Shayegan 2011,pp. 118, 325;Wiesehöfer 1996,p. 318;Rezakhani 2013,p. 772.
- ^Rezakhani 2013,p. 772.
- ^Shayegan 2011,p. 325.
- ^Shayegan 2011,p. 325;Wiesehöfer 1996,p. 318;Hill 1922,p. clxxxvii.
- ^Rezakhani 2013,p. 772;Hill 1922,p. clxxxix.
- ^Hill 1922,p. clxxxix.
- ^Wiesehöfer 1996,p. 318;Rezakhani 2013,p. 772.
- ^abWiesehöfer 1996,p. 318;Rezakhani 2013,p. 773;Hill 1922,p. cxci;Hansman 1998.
- ^Wiesehöfer 1996,p. 318;Rezakhani 2013,p. 773;Hansman 1998.
- ^abcdRezakhani 2013,p. 773;Hansman 1998.
- ^Rezakhani 2013,p. 773.
Bibliography
[edit]- Hansman, John F. (1998)."Elymais".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved4 March2022.
- Hill, George Francis(1922).Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Arabia, Mesopotamia and Persia (Nabataea, Arabia, Provincia, S. Arabia, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Assyria, Persia, Alexandrine Empire of the East, Persis, Elymais, Characene).London:Order of the Trustees.OCLC1041623470.
- Pakzadian, Hasan. "The Coins of Elymais", Tehran, 2007. (in Persian)
- Potts, Daniel T., ed. (2017).The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Iran.Oxford University Press. pp. 1–1021.ISBN9780190668662.
- Rezakhani, Khodadad (2013). "Arsacid, Elymaean and Persid coinage". In Potts, Daniel T. (ed.).Oxford Handbook of Ancient Iran.Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 766–777.ISBN978-0-19-973330-9.
- Shayegan, M. Rahim (2011).Arsacids and Sasanians: Political Ideology in Post-Hellenistic and Late Antique Persia.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0521766418.
- van't Haaff, Pieter Anne (2007).Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage: Ca. 147 B.C.-A.D. 228.Lancaster: Classical Numismatic Group.ISBN978-0-9709268-8-3.
- Wiesehöfer, Josef (1996).Ancient Persia: from 550 BC to 650 AD.Translated by Azodi, Azizeh. London: I. B. Tauris.ISBN1-85043-999-0.
External links
[edit]- Elymais coinage
- About Elymais and the type of coinage
- https://web.archive.org/web/20051223234605/http:// grifterrec /coins/elymais/elymais.html
- http:// seleukids.org/Elymais.htmlArchived2007-01-14 at theWayback Machine
- Some history and coin definitions
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
