Osroene

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Roman province of Osroene, 120, higlighted within the Roman Empire

Osroene (also spelled Osrohene, Osrhoene; Syriac: ܡܠܟܘܬܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܥܣܪܐ ܥܝܢܶܐ Malkuṯā d-Bēt Ōsrā Īnē), also known by the name of its capital city, Edessa (modern Şanlıurfa, Turkey), is a region east of the upper course of the Euphrates, a traditional battleground for the powers that ruled Asia Minor, Persia, Syria, and Armenia.

1 History
2 Rulers of Osroene
3 See also
4 Sources and references

[edit] History

Osroene was one of several kingdoms arising from the dissolution of the Seleucid Empire. The Syriac kingdom occupied an area on what is now the border between Syria and Turkey.

It was in this region that the "legend of Abgar" originated, for which see Abgarus of Edessa.

Osroene was absorbed into the Roman Empire in 114 as a semi-autonomous vassal state, after a period under Arsacid (Persian) rule, incorporated as a simple Roman province in 214.

Since Emperor Diocletian's Tetrarchy reform circa 300, it was part of the diocese of Oriens, in the pretorian prefecture of the same name. It was governed by a Dux, who ranked as vir spectabilis and commanded (circa 400) the following troops:

Equites Dalmatae Illyriciani, garrisoned at Ganaba.
Equites promoti Illyriciani, Callinico.
Equites Mauri Illyriciani, Dabana.
Equites promoti indigenae, Banasam
Equites promoti indigenae, Sina Iudaeorum.
Equites sagittarii indigenae, Oraba.
Equites sagittarii indigenae, Thillazamana.
Equites sagittarii indigenae Medianenses, Mediana.
Equites primi Osrhoeni, Rasin.
Praefectus legionis quartae Parthicae, Circesio.
(an illegible command, possibly Legio III Parthica), Apatna.

as well as, 'on the minor roll', apparently auxiliaries:

Ala septima Valeria praelectorum, Thillacama.
Ala prima Victoriae, Tovia -contra Bintha.
Ala secunda Paflagonum, Thillafica.
Ala prima Parthorum, Resaia.
Ala prima nova Diocletiana, inter Thannurin et Horobam.
Cohors prima Gaetulorum, Thillaamana.
Cohors prima Eufratensis, Maratha.
Ala prima salutaria, Duodecimo constituta.

His Officium (administrative staff) included the Princeps de scola agentum in rebus, some Numerarii and their adiutores, a Commentariensis, an Adiutor, an A libellis = subscribendarius and various Exceptores 'and other' officiales.

According to Sozomen's Ecclesiastical history, "there were some very learned men who formerly flourished in Osroene, as for instance Bardasanes, who devised a heresy designated by his name, and his son Harmonius. It is related that this latter was deeply versed in Grecian erudition, and was the first to subdue his native tongue to meters and musical laws; these verses he delivered to the choirs" and that Arianism —a more successful heresy— met with opposition there.