Artabanus IV of Parthia
Artabanus IV of Parthia ruled the
Parthian Empire from
216 to
224. He was the younger son of
Vologases V of Parthia (191–208) who died in
208. Artabanus IV rebelled against his brother
Vologases VI of Parthia (208–228), and soon gained the upper hand, although Vologases VI maintained himself in a part of
Babylonia until about
228.
The
Roman emperor
Caracalla (211–217), wishing to make use of this civil war for a conquest of the East in imitation of his idol,
Alexander the Great (336–323 BC), attacked the Parthians in 216. He crossed the
Tigris, destroyed the towns and spoiled the tombs of
Arbela, but when Artabanus IV advanced at the head of an army, he retired to
Carrhae. There he was murdered by Martialis on
April 8,
217. Caracalla's successor, the Praetorian Prefect of the Guard
Macrinus (217–218), was defeated at
Nisibis and concluded a peace with Artabanus IV, in which he gave up all the Roman conquests, restored the booty, and paid a heavy contribution to the Parthians.
At about this time, the
Persian dynast
Ardashir I (216–224) had already begun his conquests in Persia and
Carmania. When Artabanus IV tried to subdue him his troops were defeated. The war lasted several years; at last Artabanus IV himself was vanquished and killed in
226. His brother Vologases VI's realm succumbed to Ardashir I a few years later. Thus the 400-year rule of the
Arsacid Dynasty came to an end.
*
*
Dio Cassius, vii, 12; lxxviii, 26.
