• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

250 BC - AD 226 - Arsacian Kingdom

A period of 580 years commenced at the reign of Arsaces the Parthian, who, having rebelled against the Seleucidae, proclaimed himself an independent monarch. The eastern half of the Seleucid realm was seized in 250 BC by Arsaces, the Parthian (d. 248), whose Arsacid dynasty ruled in Persia for nearly 500 years. Arsaces extended his sway over various countries, and released Armenia from the yoke of the Seleucidae. Hence arose the kingdom of the Arsacidae, under whose government Armenia shone with peculiar lustre for nearly six centuries. So many prosperous circumstances are comprised in this part, and so happy was Armenia in a civil and religious point of view, that all regard it as the brightest period of Armenian history.

The Arsacian kings highly distinguished themselves in their wars with the Jews, the Romans, the Greeks, the Persians, and other aspiring foes, who were tempted by a thirst of conquest to invade Armenia. Christianity at this era first rose on the horizon of Armenia by the mission of St. Thaddeus the Apostle, who first preached the word of God in the country, and converted king Abgar, whose bright example was joyfully imitated by several of his subjects.

The ecclesiastical history of Armenia takes its date from the beginning of the fourth century, when St. Gregory the Illuminator flourished, who by his zealous exertions succeeded in converting thousands of the population to Christianity. The pontificate of Armenia originated in St. Gregory, and has continued to the present day. The building of churches, the invention of the Armenian letters, the version of the Holy Scriptures, the establishment of schools, the cultivation of literature, the foundation of convents and monasteries, have marked this period with many memorable and delightful recollections. Under these favourable circumstances Armenia for a long time enjoyed prosperity in her political and religious affairs.

In the cultural sphere the West was constantly increasing its ascendancy. King Tiridates was an Arsacid, but he accepted Christianity as the religion of the State he ruled; and when, less than a century after his death, his kingdom fell and the greater part of the country and the people came directly under Persian rule, the Persian propaganda failed to make any impression. No amount of preaching or persecution could persuade the Armenians to accept Zoroastrianism, which was the established religion of the Sassanian State. They clung to their national church in despite of their political annihilation, and showed thereby that their spiritual allegiance was given irrevocably to the West.

Time changed the state of things. Treason and disunion began gradually to weaken the government of the Arsacidae; Greece and Persia by craft and outrage succeeded in partitioning Armenia between them, permitting the Armenian monarchs to hold only a nominal power. The Armenian-chiefs were the principal instruments in overthrowing the kingdom of Armenia by their factious and ambitious proceedings; for, having preferred a complaint to the Persian king Viram, against their lawful king Artaces or Artashir [r. 422-428], they caused him to be deposed from his royal dignity. By his deposition the Arsacidae lost forever their power over Armenia, and the country successively fell a prey to the strongest invader.

For a long time the empire remained in the Arsacian family, down to Artabanus IV., the last Parthian king. The emperor Caracalla, wishing to make a conquest of the East in imitation of his idol, Alexander the Great, attacked the Parthians in 216. He crossed the Tigris, destroyed the towns and spoiled the tombs of Arbela; but when Artabanus advanced at the head of an army, he retired to Carrhae. There he was murdered by Macrinus in April 217. Macrinus was defeated at Nisibis and concluded a peace with Artabanus, in which he gave up all the Roman conquests, restored the booty, and paid a heavy contribution to the Parthians. But at the same time, the Persian dynast Ardashir had already begun his conquests in Persia and Carmania. When Artabanus tried to subdue him his troops were defeated. The war lasted several years; at last Artabanus himself was vanquished and killed (A.D. 226), and the rule of the Arsacids came to an end.