Armenia

In considering the interest that Rome and the Sasanian Persians took in Hatra, it is important to consider activity in the whole region, particularly in Armenia. The kingdom of Armenia had been troublesome for Ardashir and had become a refuge for the remnants of Parthian resistance to the Sasanian victory. Roman influence in Armenia perhaps strengthened this resistance, and some Median nobles, still loyal to the Parthians had also fled to Armenia.32 The chronology of Ardashir’s attack on Armenia is difficult to establish in relation to the attack on Hatra, but it seems that it took place at a broadly similar time. Ardashir marched on Armenia, but was not successful due to the defensive efforts of the Armenians, Medes and the now-exiled Parthians.33 The Armenian historian Agathangelos described the extent to which Armenia became a centre of resistance against the Sasanian Persians and a haven for those Parthian nobles who had resisted the Sasanians. In doing so, Agathangelos emphasized the importance of Armenia historically as part of promoting an image of a strong Arsacid Armenian royal family in the fourth century. This probably led to an overemphasis of the importance of events in Armenia in the late 220s and early 230s; however, Ardashir’s desire to deal with resistance in Armenia was also reflected in the work of Dio.34

Agathangelos reported that major attacks were mounted from Armenia on Assuristan in the year following the victory of Ardashir over Artabanus V.35 In these attacks the Armenian king, Khosrov (Tiridates II), enlisted the assistance of warriors from regions and tribes in kingdoms such as Albania and Georgia. In what was probably an exaggerated claim, these armies mounted raids into Persian territory in Assuristan and even sacked the capital, Seleucia-Ctesiphon. Khosrov also attempted to turn those Parthian nobles who had previously sworn loyalty to Ardashir back to the resistance against Sasanian Persia, which he was now portrayed as leading. More Armenian attacks were claimed to have been directed against Assuristan in the following year (perhaps 229), and it may have been in response to this that Ardashir mounted attacks on Armenia at which time he also attacked Hatra.