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Vologases IV

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Vologases IV
𐭅𐭋𐭂𐭔
King of Kings
Vologases IV's portrait on the obverse of atetradrachm,showing him wearing a beard and atiaraon his head
King of theParthian Empire
Reign147–191
PredecessorVologases III
SuccessorOsroes II(rival king)
Vologases V(successor)
Died191
IssuePacorus
Vologases V
DynastyArsacid dynasty
FatherMithridates V
ReligionZoroastrianism

Vologases IV(Parthian:𐭅𐭋𐭂𐭔Walagash) wasKing of Kingsof theParthian Empirefrom 147 to 191. He was the son ofMithridates V(r. 129–140). Vologases spent the early years of his reign re-asserting Parthian control over theKingdom of Characene.From 161 to 166, he waged war against the Roman Empire; although initially successful, conqueringArmeniaandSyria,he was eventually pushed back, briefly losing control of the Parthian capitals ofSeleuciaandCtesiphonto the Romans. The Romans suffered heavy losses from a plague erupting from Seleucia in 166, forcing them to withdraw. The war ended soon afterward, with Vologases losing most of northernMesopotamiato the Romans. He died in 191 and was succeeded by his sonVologases V.

Name[edit]

Vologases is theGreekandLatinform of theParthianWalagaš(𐭅𐭋𐭂𐭔). The name is also attested inNew PersianasBalāshandMiddle PersianasWardākhsh(also spelledWalākhsh). The etymology of the name is unclear, althoughFerdinand Justiproposes thatWalagaš,the first form of the name, is a compound of words "strength" (varəda), and "handsome" (gašorgešin Modern Persian).[1]

Reign[edit]

Conquest of Characene[edit]

Vologases IV was a son ofMithridates V,who had contended against the ruling Parthian monarchVologases III(r. 110–147) for the throne from 129 to 140.[2][3]Vologases IV staged acoup d'étatand succeeded Vologases III in 147, marking the establishment of a new branch of the Arsacid dynasty on the Parthian throne.[4][5]In 150/51, he defeated the Arsacid ruler ofCharacene(also known as Mesene),Meredates,and appointedOrabazes II,most likely a relative of his, as the new king of Characene.[5]Vologases IV's forces seized a statue ofHeracles,the patron god of the Characenian royalty. The statue was taken to the temple ofApolloin Seleucia, where it was displayed as a demonstration of Vologases IV's victory.[4]A bilingual inscription (Greek and Parthian) was carved on the statue, which recounts Vologases IV's conquest of Characene:[6]

"In the year of the Greeks 462 (151 AD) the King of Kings Arsaces Vologases, son of Mithridates king, led a military expedition into Mesene against Mithridates king, son of previous ruler Pacorus, and after king Mithridates had been expelled from Mesene, became the ruler of all of Mesene and of this bronze statue of the god Heracles, which he himself transported from Mesene, placed in this Sanctuary of the god Apollo who guards the Bronze Door."[6]

War with the Romans[edit]

Further information:Roman–Parthian War of 161–166

WhenMarcus Aureliusbecame the new Roman emperor in 161, Vologases IV unexpectedly declared war against the Romans, marking the only time in aRoman-Parthian conflictwhere the Parthians declared war.[1][7]Vologases IV invadedArmeniaand replaced its Roman client kingSohaemuswith his own sonPacorus.[7][8]

At the same time, an unanticipated Parthian invasion ofSyrialed to the defeat of the Roman soldiers assigned there. Confident, Vologases IV declined an offer for peace by the Romans in 162.[7]Although theRoman–Parthian War of 161–166started auspiciously for the Parthians, after the Romans recovered from the first shock and setbacks, they counterattacked, restored Sohaemus to the Armenian throne in 163.[7][8]Around the same time, the Parthianscaptured Edessaand installedWa'elas puppet king.[9][10]Ma'nu VIII, the legitimate king, was forced to flee to the Roman Empire.[11]The Parthian forces were pushed out of Syria, in 164, and also lostDura-Europos,which led many Parthian vassal rulers to desert Vologases IV.[7]The Romanslaid siege to Edessa in 165;during the siege, the citizens of the city massacred the Parthian garrison and opened its gates to the Romans.[10]The Romans entered the city and restored Ma'nu VIII as ruler ofEdessa/Osroene;he also received theepithetPhilorhomaios( "Friend of the Romans" ).[9][10][12]

The Parthian capitals of Seleucia andCtesiphonwere captured by the Roman generalAvidius Cassiusin 165 or 166. Most likely around the same time, Roman legions invadedMediaandAdiabene.However, the Romans suffered heavy losses from a plague erupting from Seleucia in 166, forcing them to withdraw. The war ended soon afterward, with Vologases IV losing most of northernMesopotamiato the Romans.[7]

Later reign[edit]

The chronicles do not report unrest or rebellions following the Parthian defeat, which the modern historian Michael Sommer refers to as a "disastrous military setback." This likely indicates that Vologases IV had managed to maintain political stability.[13]The Parthian loss of most of northern Mesopotamia meant that the city ofHatrahad now become their new frontier in the west.[14]Hatra was ruled by Parthian vassals who wielded the title ofmalka(lord).[15]However, due to its now higher strategic importance, Vologases IV elevated the titulature of the ruling Hatran family to that of king, and also allowed them certain ceremonies and traditional ritual oaths.[13][16]After Sohaemus' death in 180, Vologases IV's son managed to gain the Armenian throne asVologases II(r. 180–191).[8][17]

The end of Vologases IV's reign was marred by the revolt ofOsroes IIin 190, who minted coins of himself atEcbatanain Media.[18]However, Vologases IV's son, Vologases II, succeeded him, and appears to have quickly put down Osroes II, ascending the throne as Vologases V.[17][19]

Coinage[edit]

Coin of Wa'el, with the obverse portraying Vologases IV

On the obverse of histetradrachms,Vologases IV is portrayed with a domedtiarawith a horn on the side. He is also wearing a neck flap covering both of his ears. On the obverse of his drachms, Vologases IV is wearing a tiara without the horn.[20]Vologases IV is the first Parthian monarch to only wear a tiara on his coins.[21]On some of the reverse of Vologases IV's bronze coins, an eagle is depicted, which is associated with thekhvarenah,i.e. kingly glory.[22]On the obverse of the coins of the brief ruler of Edessa/Osroene, Wa'el, a portrait of Vologases IV is displayed.[20]

References[edit]

  1. ^abChaumont & Schippmann 1988,pp. 574–580.
  2. ^Dąbrowa 2012,pp. 391–392.
  3. ^Kia 2016,p. 203.
  4. ^abGregoratti 2013a,p. 281.
  5. ^abGregoratti 2017,p. 133.
  6. ^abGregoratti 2013a,pp. 281–282.
  7. ^abcdefDąbrowa 2010,p. 37.
  8. ^abcRussell 1987,p. 161.
  9. ^abDrijvers 1980,p. 13.
  10. ^abcSegal 1982,pp. 210–213.
  11. ^Sartre 2005,p. 146.
  12. ^Bivar 1983,p. 66.
  13. ^abSommer 2013,p. 43.
  14. ^Gregoratti 2013b,p. 53.
  15. ^de Jong 2013,p. 149.
  16. ^Gregoratti 2013b,pp. 53–54.
  17. ^abToumanoff 1986,pp. 543–546.
  18. ^Sellwood 1983,pp. 297, 321.
  19. ^Sellwood 1983,p. 297.
  20. ^abOlbrycht 1997,p. 34.
  21. ^Olbrycht 1997,p. 50.
  22. ^Curtis 2012,p. 76.

Sources[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Vologases IV
Died:191
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of the Parthian Empire
147–191 		Succeeded by
Osroes II(rival king)
Vologases V(successor)
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