Vologases V of Parthia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coin of Vologases V. The reverse shows the throned king receiving a diadem from Tyche. The date ΔΦ is the year 504 of the Seleucid era, corresponding to 192–193.

Vologases V of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from 191 to 208. He was the son of Vologases I of Armenia, a member of the Parthian Arsacid dynasty's Armenia cadet branch. Nevertheless, he won the succession of the senior house, following Vologases IV (147–191) on the throne of Parthia. His succession was not uncontested; a rival King Osroes II (190) had already set himself up in Media before the death of the previous ruler, but Vologases V appears to have quickly put him down.

Vologases V was attacked by the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193–211) in 195. Severus advanced into Mesopotamia, occupied Nisibis and plundered the Parthian capital Ctesiphon in 199, capturing many Parthians and selling them into slavery. He attempted in vain to conquer the Arabic fortress at Atra. In 202 peace was restored with the Roman Empire in effective control the whole of Mesopotamia.

Vologases V was succeeded by his elder son Vologases VI of Parthia (208–228), but a younger son Artabanus IV (216–224) rebelled and civil war ensued.

[edit] References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.