Meharaspes (), also written as Mebarsapes, was the Parthian

client king A client state, in international relations, is a state that is economically, politically, and/or militarily subordinate to another more powerful state (called the "controlling state"). A client state may variously be described as satellite state, ...

of Adiabene in the early 2nd century CE; he was also the last king of an independent Adiabene. He was defeated by

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...

in 116; Adiabene was incorporated into the short-lived

Roman province The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

Defeat by Trajan

Mebarsapes' stronghold was in Adenystrae (suggested as medieval Kızıltepe, though geographically unlikely given the position of the Tigris) and was besieged by Trajan's forces. Within the city was a Roman

centurion A centurion (; la, centurio , . la, centuriones, label=none; grc-gre, κεντυρίων, kentyríōn, or ) was a position in the Roman army during classical antiquity, nominally the commander of a century (), a military unit of around 80 ...

named Sentius, sent by Trajan as an envoy, who had been jailed by Mebarsapes following his failed diplomatic mission. Sentius convinced his fellow prisoners to aide in his escape; together, they killed the commander of the stronghold and opened the gates for the besieging Romans, ending what would have otherwise been a lengthy campaign. The fall of Adenystrae was the final blow for Meharaspes, losing his kingdom. Following the defeat of Adiabene with a single division, a second Roman column continued, unopposed, down the

Tigris The Tigris () is the easternmost of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, and empties into the ...

to the ruins of the city of Babylon. Kings of Adiabene 2nd-century monarchs in the Middle East Vassal rulers of the Parthian Empire

References

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