Parthamasiris, also known as Partamasir or Parthomasiris (flourished second half of the 1st century and first half of the 2nd century, died 114) was a Parthian Prince who served as a Roman Client King of

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

. Parthamasiris was one of the three sons born to the King

Pacorus II of Parthia Pacorus II (also spelled Pakoros II; ) was the King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 78 to 110. He was the son and successor of Vologases I (). During the latter part of his father's reign, Pacorus ruled the Parthian Empire along with him. ...

by an unnamed mother. Through his father he was a member of the House of Parthia thus a relation of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. Little is known of his life prior to becoming Armenian King. In 113, Parthamasiris’ paternal uncle

Osroes I of Parthia Osroes I (also spelled Chosroes I or Khosrow I; xpr, 𐭇𐭅𐭎𐭓𐭅 ''Husrōw'') was a Parthian contender, who ruled the western portion of the Parthian Empire from 109 to 129, with a one-year interruption. For the whole of his reign he con ...

deposed his brother Axidares from the Armenian Kingship and installed him as the Armenian King to avoid to going to war with the Roman emperor

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 ...

and keep peace with him.Yarshater, ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', Volume 3, p. 87 Axidares was placed on the Armenian throne by his paternal uncle without Roman consultation which led to Trajan to view the action by Osroes I as an invitation to war with Parthia. When Trajan with his army had advanced to Parthia, the Roman emperor received Parthamasiris. Parthamasiris hoped he could retain his Armenian Kingship, however was rejected after Trajan had listened to him and declined his request to keep his Kingship.Bunson, ''A Dictionary of the Roman Empire'', p. 313 After rejecting Parthamasiris’ request, Trajan annexed Armenia as a Roman Province. Trajan sent Parthamasiris from Armenia back home to Parthia and Trajan continued on with his Parthian military campaign. On his way home to Parthia, Parthamasiris disappeared; historian Ehsan Yarshater has speculated that Trajan may have ordered Parthamasiris's murder.Yarshater, ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', Volume 3, p. 88

References

Sources

* M. Bunson, ''A Dictionary of the Roman Empire'', Oxford University Press, 1995 * K. Farrokh, ''Shadows in the Desert: Ancient Persia at War'', Osprey Publishing, 2007 * T. Mommsen, W. Purdie Dickson & F. Haverfield, ''The provinces of the Roman Empire: from Caesar to Domitian'', Gorgias Press LLC, 2004 * D.T. Potts, ''Araby the Blest: Studies in Arabian Archaeology'', Museum Tusculanum Press, 1988 * Yarshater, ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', Volume 3, Cambridge University Press, 1993 {{DEFAULTSORT:Parthamasiris of Armenia 2nd-century kings of Armenia Arsacid kings of Armenia Roman client kings of Armenia 2nd-century Iranian people 114 deaths Year of birth unknown