Hyspaosines was an Iranian[1][2] prince, who founded the principality of Characene, ruling from 127 to 124 BC.
Name and background
Hyspaosines is a Hellenized[1] name of Persian[1] or Bactrian origin[3], possibly derived from the Old Iranian vispa-čanah ("who appreciates all [things]").[4] Hyspaosines' father, Sagdodonacus, seemingly had a Bactrian name and was presumably of Bactrian origin himself.[4] He had served the local rulers (frataraka) of Persis, who had been able to reign independently for three decades from 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]
Biography
In 166/5 BC, Hyspaosines was appointed governor (eparch) of Antiochia (Charax Spasinu) by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes.[1] His rise to power coincided with the weakening of the Parthian Empire. The Parthian king Phraates II had died fighting the invading nomads in the east of the empire. His successor, Artabanus I was also forced to fight the nomads—the Saka and Yuezhi, and was reportedly compelled to pay them tribute.[7] Hyspaosines, who had recently created the principality of Characene in southern Mesopotamia, took advantage of the Parthian difficulties in the east by proclaiming his independence from Parthian suzerainty. He then went on to seize Babylon (c. 127 B.C), and by 125/4 BC, he controlled parts of Mesopotamia as indicated by coin mints of him.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d Hansman 1991, pp. 363–365.
- ^ Eilers 1983, pp. 487.
- ^ Curtis 2007, p. 11.
- ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 153.
- ^ a b Shayegan 2011, p. 161.
- ^ Shayegan 2011, p. 168.
- ^ a b Schippmann 1986, pp. 525–536.
Sources
- Schippmann, K. (1986). "Arsacids ii. The Arsacid dynasty". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 5. pp. 525–536.
- Hansman, John F. (1998). "Elymais". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. VIII, Fasc. 4. pp. 373–376.
- Hansman, John (1991). "Characene and Charax". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. V, Fasc. 4. pp. 363–365.
- Bosworth, C. E. (1986). "ʿArab i. Arabs and Iran in the pre-Islamic period". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 2. pp. 201–203.
- Shayegan, M. Rahim (2011). Arsacids and Sasanians: Political Ideology in Post-Hellenistic and Late Antique Persia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–539. ISBN 9780521766418.
- Curtis, Vesta Sarkhosh (2007), "The Iranian Revival in the Parthian Period", in Curtis, Vesta Sarkhosh and Sarah Stewart (ed.), The Age of the Parthians: The Ideas of Iran, vol. 2, London & New York: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd., in association with the London Middle East Institute at SOAS and the British Museum, pp. 7–25, ISBN 978-1-84511-406-0.
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