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Asian Kingdom of Iberia invaded Parthia. After his generals were defeated, and in the face of invasion by
the commander of the legions, Lucius Vitellius Artabanus accepted Roman supremacy in Armenia.
Shortly afterward, another palace intrigue forced him from the throne, but he regained it and died in 38,
probably from exhaustion. He was succeeded by his son, Gotarzes.
¤ ARTABANUS V (d. c. 226 A.D.) King of Parthia and the last effective ruler of the ARSACID
DYNASTY. He was destroyed by ARDASHIR I in 226 A.D., losing his troops and his life. The brother
of the ruler Vologases V, Artabanus overthrew him and ascended the throne sometime before 224. The
perpetual dynastic feuds, however, made the Arsacid line politically unstable. When Ardashir of Persia
revolted against the Arsacids in 208, capturing numerous satrapies within the Parthian Empire, Artabanus
felt unable to meet the threat immediately. He waited until 224 to confront Ardashir, and by that time it
was too late. Ardashir defeated the Parthians and proclaimed himself King of Kings, the traditional
Persian title of supremacy. Artabanus was later killed.
¤ ARTAGIRA A city in Armenia near Artaxata, in the province of Ararat; a strongly garrisoned site. In 2
A.D., the throne of Armenia was vacant, and Gaius Caesar, with the permission of Augustus, placed
Ariobarzanes of Media in the position of king. The Parthians, who had a vested interest in Armenia, stirred
up a revolt among their own supporters in the nation. A large force of rebels took refuge in the fortress city
of Artagira. Gaius Caesar arrived there in late August of 3, and on September 9, Addon, the captain of the
walls, asked to speak with him. Gaius was wounded in the confrontation and was carried away by his
outraged lieutenants. The Romans promptly laid siege to the city and captured the fort after bitter fighting.
Gaius died in February of the next year from the wounds received.
¤ ARTAVASDES (1) (fl. 1st century B.C.) King of MEDIA ATROPATENE; first an ally of PARTHIA
against Rome (c. 53 B.C.) but later closely connected with Emperor Augustus. In 34 B.C., Artavasdes
turned from the Parthians and offered his help to Antony. In 30 B.C., however, when the Arsacid King
Phraates IV conquered both Media and Armenia, Artavasdes was forced to flee to Syria. Seeking a
reliable ally on the Euphrates frontier, Octavian (AUGUSTUS) gave Artavasdes the kingdom of Armenia
Minor in 30 B.C.
¤ ARTAVASDES (2) (d. 34 B.C.) King of Armenia from 56 to 34 B.C.; an unreliable ally to Marc
Antony during his wars against Parthia. Succeeding his father, Tigranes, he participated in the invasion of
Parthia in 54 B.C. by M. Licinius Crassus. Artavasdes was a half-hearted ally who gave the Roman no
aid at all, and when the Parthians invaded Armenia, he changed sides entirely, becoming a vassal of
Orodes II. Artavasdes surrendered to Marc Antony in 37 B.C. and promised his help. Surprisingly,
Antony trusted him, and Artavasdes was given escort duty over Antony's food wagons. The Armenian
king betrayed the Romans and allowed them to face a slaughter, forcing Antony to retreat. Antony sought
vengeance and in 34 B.C. captured the king and two of his sons, Artavasdes and Tigranes; Artaxes,
another son, had escaped. The king was taken to Alexandria, where Cleopatra VII had him executed.
Plutarch described him as a well educated man, who had a great fondness for all things Greek.
¤ ARTAXATA Capital of Armenia; located in Ararat Province on the Araxes River. It was built by
Artaxes I during the Punic Wars (3rd-2nd centuries B.C.). Strabo claimed that Hannibal aided in the
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