Erato of Armenia
Encyclopedia
Erato was a Princess, queen
of Armenia
and the last member on the throne
of the Artaxiad Dynasty
. She was the daughter of Armenian King Tigranes III
and half-sister/wife of King Tigranes IV
. In the centuries before Christianity
, incestuous marriages were common at Hellenistic
courts in order to preserve the purity of the royal blood. Her image appears on an ancient coin which currently keeps at the National Library in Paris. She was the only Armenian sovereign
to ascend to the throne three times. Erato reigned along with her brother Tigranes IV from 8 to 5 BC, 2 BC to 2 and later with Tigranes V, 6 to 11. Roman Emperor
Augustus
sent Tiberius
to appoint Artavasdes III of Armenia
as King of Armenia, who was a cousin of Tigranes IV and Erato. Tigranes IV and Erato instigated a civil war with the aid of King of Phraates V of Parthia
.
The Parthia
n king soon ceased his support in order to avoid a full scale war with Rome. Gaius Caesar
was sent to Armenia to stop the civil war, prior to his arrival Tigranes IV was murdered during one of the disturbances and the Armenian throne was bestowed upon Ariobarzanes II, a Mede
by origin. Ariobarzanes II was killed in an accident and Augustus nominated Ariobarzanes II's son, Artavasdes IV, as the new King. The Armenian population grew weary of foreign Kings and Augustus revised his policy by giving the throne to Tigranes V
, an Artaxiad of unknown affiliation. The Armenian nobles, unsatisfied with Tigranes V, rebelled and restored Erato with Tigranes V to the throne. They were overthrown under unknown circumstances in 11
, after which the Artaxiad Dynasty became extinct. Augustus decided to keep Armenia as a vassal kingdom instead of annexing it to the Empire. In 12
, Vonones I of Parthia
was appointed as King of Armenia by Augustus.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and the last member on the throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
of the Artaxiad Dynasty
Artaxiad Dynasty
The Artaxiad Dynasty or Ardaxiad Dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Armenia from 189 BC until their overthrow by the Romans in AD 12. Their realm included Greater Armenia, Sophene and intermittently Lesser Armenia and parts of Mesopotamia...
. She was the daughter of Armenian King Tigranes III
Tigranes III
Tigranes III was king of Armenia from 20 BC until 8 BC. He was the son of Artavasdes II and brother of Artaxias II.Tacitus says that in 20 BC, the Armenians sent messengers to Roman Emperor Augustus to tell him that they no longer wanted Artaxias II as their king, and asked that his brother...
and half-sister/wife of King Tigranes IV
Tigranes IV
Tigranes IV was an Armenian prince and the son of the King Tigranes III. He was the husband to his half-sister Erato of Armenia. Triganes ruled from 12 BC-1 BC...
. In the centuries before Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, incestuous marriages were common at Hellenistic
Hellenistic period
The Hellenistic period or Hellenistic era describes the time which followed the conquests of Alexander the Great. It was so named by the historian J. G. Droysen. During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its zenith in Europe and Asia...
courts in order to preserve the purity of the royal blood. Her image appears on an ancient coin which currently keeps at the National Library in Paris. She was the only Armenian sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
to ascend to the throne three times. Erato reigned along with her brother Tigranes IV from 8 to 5 BC, 2 BC to 2 and later with Tigranes V, 6 to 11. Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
sent Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
to appoint Artavasdes III of Armenia
Artavasdes III of Armenia
Artavazd III an educated prince who would rule over twenty years and his reign witnessed a worsening of relations between Rome and Armenia. During those twenty years Rome lost the opportunity of making Armenia its permanent ally in the battle against the Persians...
as King of Armenia, who was a cousin of Tigranes IV and Erato. Tigranes IV and Erato instigated a civil war with the aid of King of Phraates V of Parthia
Phraates V of Parthia
Phraates V of Persia, known by the diminutive Phraataces , ruled the Iranian Parthian Empire from 2 BC to AD 4. He was the younger son of Phraates IV of Parthia and the Musa of Parthia", with whom he is associated on his coins. Under Phraates V a war threatened to break out with Rome about the...
.
The Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
n king soon ceased his support in order to avoid a full scale war with Rome. Gaius Caesar
Gaius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar , most commonly known as Gaius Caesar or Caius Caesar, was the oldest son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder...
was sent to Armenia to stop the civil war, prior to his arrival Tigranes IV was murdered during one of the disturbances and the Armenian throne was bestowed upon Ariobarzanes II, a Mede
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
by origin. Ariobarzanes II was killed in an accident and Augustus nominated Ariobarzanes II's son, Artavasdes IV, as the new King. The Armenian population grew weary of foreign Kings and Augustus revised his policy by giving the throne to Tigranes V
Tigranes V of Armenia
Tigranes V, also known as Tigran V was a Herodian Prince and served as a Roman Client King of Armenia from the years 6 to 12.-Family & Life in the Herodian Court:...
, an Artaxiad of unknown affiliation. The Armenian nobles, unsatisfied with Tigranes V, rebelled and restored Erato with Tigranes V to the throne. They were overthrown under unknown circumstances in 11
11
Year 11 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Lepidus and Taurus...
, after which the Artaxiad Dynasty became extinct. Augustus decided to keep Armenia as a vassal kingdom instead of annexing it to the Empire. In 12
12
Year 12 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Capito...
, Vonones I of Parthia
Vonones I of Parthia
Vonones I of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from about 8 to 12 AD. He was the eldest son of Phraates IV of Parthia Vonones I of Parthia (ΟΝΩΝΗΣ on his coins) ruled the Parthian Empire from about 8 to 12 AD. He was the eldest son of Phraates IV of Parthia Vonones I of Parthia (ΟΝΩΝΗΣ on his...
was appointed as King of Armenia by Augustus.