v53_0116 - PARTHIA - PARTHIAN KINGDOM - PHRAATES IV Drachme

PARTHIAN KINGDOM - PHRAATES IV

(38-2 BC)

Phraates IV is one of the sons of Orodes II (57-38 BC. -VS. ), the winner of Carrhae in 53 BC. -VS. and the brother of Pakoros I, killed fighting the Romans in 39 BC. -VS. At the beginning of his reign, he first had to fight against Marc Antoine who had invaded Armenia with sixteen legions (100. 000 men). The triumvir made the mistake of leaving his rear guard (baggage and war machines) with only two legions. Phraates exterminated them which forced Marc Antoine to retreat, losing a third of his workforce. Tiridates, Parthian general, revolted in 29 BC. -VS. and compelled the king of kings to find refuge with the Saces who helped him to restore himself to the throne of his fathers. Tiridates, fleeing, seized the son of Arsacid and found refuge with the Romans. Augustus returned the child to his father and installed Tiridates in Rome. But the latter fomented new troubles in Mesopotamia and after some success was definitively eliminated.. His relations with Augustus were better and in 20 BC. -VS. , he returned the ensigns and the prisoners taken on Crassus in 53 BC. -VS. Phraates IV, like his father and grandfather, was assassinated at the instigation of his son Phraatakes and Musa, a young Italian slave whom Augustus had offered him.