Sanatruq I (also spelled Sanatruk I;

Hatran Aramaic Aramaic of Hatra, Hatran Aramaic or Ashurian ( ') designates a Middle Aramaic dialect, that was used in the region of Hatra and Assur in northeastern parts of Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), approximately from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century ...

: 𐣮𐣭𐣨𐣣𐣥𐣲) was the first king of

Hatra Hatra ( ar, الحضر; syr, ‎ܚܛܪܐ) was an ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia located in present-day eastern Nineveh Governorate in northern Iraq. The city lies northwest of Baghdad and southwest of Mosul. Hatra was a strongly fortified ...

, an ancient city in northern

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 F ...

(present-day

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

). He is known from more than 20 inscriptions found at Hatra and reigned from about 140 to 180. Only one of his inscriptions is dated (year 176/177). He was the son of Naṣru who governed Hatra from about 128 to 140. Sanatruq I was one of the first rulers of Hatra calling himself 𐣬𐣫𐣪 ''malka'' ("king"), but he bears also the title 𐣬𐣣𐣩𐣠 ''mry' '' (''administrator''). He was granted the title of king by his

Parthian Parthian may be: Historical * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...

overlord

Vologases IV Vologases IV ( xpr, 𐭅𐭋𐭂𐭔 ''Walagash'') was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 147 to 191. He was the son of Mithridates V (). Vologases spent the early years of his reign re-asserting Parthian control over the Kingdom of Char ...

(), due to the increasing strategic importance of the city during that period. Indeed, during the 2nd-century Hatra blossomed, serving as an important religious and commercial centre. The city was well fortified, previously successfully containing the attacks of the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

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 ...

() thrice. Hatra would remain a dependency of the Parthians until the emergence of the

Sasanian Empire The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the History of Iran, last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th cen ...

in 224. Both of Sanatruq I's titles are also attested for his brother

Wolgash Wolgash or Vologash (Hatran Aramaic: 𐣥𐣫𐣢𐣴) was a king of Hatra, an ancient city in nowadays Iraq. He is known from more than 20 inscriptions found at Hatra and reigned from about AD 140 to 180. He was the son of Naṣru who reigned fro ...

. It is unclear whether they both reigned together and took of the title ''king'' of Arabs. Sanatruq I's name (meaning "he who defeats enemies") is of

Iranian Iranian may refer to: * Iran, a sovereign state * Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran * Iranian lan ...

origin, a typical name used by the royal Parthian family, and a testament to the strong Parthian influence in Hatra. It was most likely under Sanatruq I that the Square Building of Hatra was constructed. The building bears many similarities to the later Sasanian

fire temple A fire temple, Agiary, Atashkadeh ( fa, آتشکده), Atashgah () or Dar-e Mehr () is the place of worship for the followers of Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Iran (Persia). In the Zoroastrian religion, fire (see ''atar''), together wi ...

s. Sanatruq I was succeeded by

Abdsamiya Abdsamiya (Hatran Aramaic: 𐣯𐣡𐣣𐣮𐣬𐣩𐣠) was a king of Hatra, an ancient city and kingdom in ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq). He reigned from about AD 180 to 205. Abdsamiya was the son of king Sanatruq I and the father of Sanatruq II. A ...

. The relation between the two rulers are uncertain; there is no evidence of them being from the same dynasty. Abdsamiya never used the name of his father. However, the name of Abdsamiya's successor was

Sanatruq II , temple name = , house = , house-type = , father = Abdsamiya , mother = , religion = , occupation = , signature_type = , signature = , module = Sanatruq II (Hatran Aramaic: 𐣮𐣭𐣨𐣣 ...

, which may suggest a continuation of Sanatruq I's line. The Hatran statues commemorating Sanatruq I and his dynasty were not removed, which indicates if a change of dynasty occurred, it was non-violent.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * {{cite book, last=Sartre, first=Maurice, title=The Middle East Under Rome, date=2005, publisher=Harvard University Press, isbn=9780674016835, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9y7nTpFcN3AC&dq= 2nd-century Arab people Hatra 2nd-century monarchs in the Middle East Vassal rulers of the Parthian Empire