Hyspaosines

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Hyspaosines
King of Babylon
Reign127 BC
PredecessorArtabanus I
SuccessorArtabanus I
Bornc. 209 BC
Died11 June 124 BC (aged 85)
SpouseThalassia
FatherSagdodonacus

Hyspaosines (also spelled Aspasine) was an Iranian prince, and the founder of Characene, a kingdom situated in southern Mesopotamia. He was originally a Seleucid satrap installed by king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175 – 164 BC), but declared independence in 141 BC after the collapse and subsequent transfer of Seleucid authority in Iran and Babylonia to the Parthians. Hyspaosines briefly occupied the Parthian city of Babylon in 127 BC, where he is recorded in records as king (šarru). In 124 BC, however, he was forced to acknowledge Parthian suzerainty. He died in the same year, and was succeeded by his juvenile son Apodakos.

Name and background

Of

Seleucid authority, and even briefly seize the region of Characene.[5] The Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes (r. 175 – 164 BC) eventually managed to re-establish Greek authority over Persis and Characene,[5] and appointed his general Noumenios as the governor of Characene.[6]

Governorship

Map of Characene

The capital of Characene,

eparch) of Antiochia and its surroundings.[2]

During this period Antiochia briefly flourished, until Antiochus IV's premature death by disease in 163 BC, which weakened Seleucid authority throughout the empire.

Khuzestan in southern Iran.[2] Hyspaosines, although now a more or less independent ruler, remained a loyal subject of the Seleucids.[2] Hyspaosines' keenness to remain as a Seleucid governor was possibly due to avoid interruption in the profitable trade between Antiochia and Seleucia.[2]

Reign

The Seleucids had suffered heavy defeats by the Iranian

astronomical Diaries.[8] The menace and proximity of the Parthians caused Hyspaosines to declare independence.[2] In 127 BC, Mithridates I's son and successor Phraates II met an abrupt death during his war with the nomads in the east.[9][10] Hyspaosines took advantage of the situation by seizing Babylon, which is attested in Babylonian records, where he is recorded as king (šarru).[11] His rule over the city lasted briefly; at the start of November 127 BC, the Parthian general Timarchus recaptured it.[12]

Regardless, Hyspaosines' troops continued to plunder the Babylonian region as late as 126 BC.[12] In 124 BC, however, Hyspaosines accepted Parthian suzerainty, and continued to rule Characene as a vassal.[13] He corresponded with the Parthian general of Babylonia, informing him of the defeat of Elymais by the Parthian monarch Mithridates II (r. 124–91 BC).[14] He also returned the wooden throne of Arsaces to the Parthians as a gift to the god Bel.[14] The astronomical diaries report that the king became ill on 3 June 124 BC and died on 11 June 124 BC[15] at the age of 85.[16] His age is reported by 2nd century Roman historian Lucian, who provided a list of rulers who died in a very old age.[17]

He was succeeded by his and queen Thalassia's juvenile son Apodakos.[6] The Parthian commander Sindates was placed as the governor of Characene.[6]

References

  1. ^ Hansman 1991, pp. 363–365; Eilers 1983, p. 487; Erskine, Llewellyn-Jones & Wallace 2017, p. 77; Strootman 2017, p. 194
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hansman 1991, pp. 363–365.
  3. ^ Curtis 2007, p. 11.
  4. ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 153.
  5. ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 161.
  6. ^ a b c Shayegan 2011, p. 168.
  7. ^ Curtis 2007, pp. 10–11; Bivar 1983, p. 33; Garthwaite 2005, p. 76; Brosius 2006, pp. 86–87
  8. ^ Schuol 2000, pp. 28–40.
  9. ^ Shayegan 2011, p. 150–151.
  10. ^ Dąbrowa 2012, p. 170.
  11. ^ Shayegan 2011, pp. 111, 150–151.
  12. ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 111.
  13. ^ Shayegan 2011, p. 114.
  14. ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 117.
  15. ^ Schuol 2000, p. 40.
  16. ^ Shayegan 2011, p. 154.
  17. ^ Harmon, A.M. (2018). "Lucian: Long Lives (Macrobii) (16)". Attalus. Retrieved 6 October 2020.

Bibliography

Ancient works

Modern works

Further reading