Pharsman I of Iberia
Encyclopedia
Pharasmanes I (died 58) was a king of Iberia
(Kartli
, modern eastern Georgia
) who plays a prominent role in Tacitus
’ account of Rome
’s eastern policy and campaigns under Tiberius
, Claudius
, and Nero
. According to Professor Cyril Toumanoff
, he reigned from AD 1 to 58, and was a member of the third Pharnabazid Dynasty
.
Pharasmanes, as an ally of Rome, invaded Armenia and captured the capital city of Artaxata in 35. He left his brother Mithridates
on the Armenian throne; and when the Parthia
n prince Orodes attempted to dispossess him of his newly-acquired kingdom, Pharasmanes assembled a large army, with which he totally defeated the Parthians in a pitched battle (Tacitus, Annals
. vi. 32-35). At a later period (c. 52) he instigated his son Rhadamistus
, whose ambitious and aspiring character began to give him umbrage, to make war upon his uncle Mithridates, and supported him in his enterprise; but when Rhadamistus was in his turn expelled by the Parthians, after a short reign (AD 55), and took refuge again in his father's dominions; Pharasmanes, in order to curry favor with the Romans, who had expressed their displeasure at the proceedings of Rhadamistus, put his son to death (ib. xii. 42-48, xiii. 6, 37.). Pharasmanes was apparently succeeded by his son Mithridates (Mihrdat) I
.
Toumanoff has tentatively suggested the identification of Pharasmanes with the Aderki (or Rok) of the medieval Georgian chronicles whose reign is said to have coincided with the appearance of the first Christian
communities in Georgia, and the travel of the Jews
from Mtskheta
to Jerusalem whence they witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus
and brought the Holy Tunic
to Iberia. According to the Georgian chronicles, Aderki’s division of his kingdom between his two sons, Kartam (Kardzam) and Bartom (Bratman), inaugurated the start of dyarchy in Iberia which would last for five generations. Many modern scholars, however, doubt the existence of the diarchy, for the contemporary foreign source make references only to sole monarch.
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
(Kartli
Kartli
Kartli is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari , on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial role in ethnic and political consolidation of the Georgians in the Middle Ages...
, modern eastern Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
) who plays a prominent role in Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
’ account of Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
’s eastern policy and campaigns under 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...
, Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
, and Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. According to Professor Cyril Toumanoff
Cyril Toumanoff
Cyril Leo Heraclius, Prince Toumanoff was an United States-based historian and genealogist who mostly specialized in the history and genealogies of medieval Georgia, Armenia, the Byzantine Empire, and Iran...
, he reigned from AD 1 to 58, and was a member of the third Pharnabazid Dynasty
Pharnabazid Dynasty
The Pharnabazid or P’arnavaziani is the name of the first dynasty of Georgian kings of Kartli preserved by the Georgian historical tradition. Their rule lasted, with intermissions, from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The main male line is reported to have become extinct early on and...
.
Pharasmanes, as an ally of Rome, invaded Armenia and captured the capital city of Artaxata in 35. He left his brother Mithridates
Mithridates of Armenia
Mithridates of Armenia was an Iberian prince and a king of Armenia under the protection of the Roman Empire.Mithridates was installed by his brother Pharasmanes I of Iberia who, encouraged by Tiberius, invaded Armenia and captured its capital Artaxata in 35...
on the Armenian throne; and when 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 prince Orodes attempted to dispossess him of his newly-acquired kingdom, Pharasmanes assembled a large army, with which he totally defeated the Parthians in a pitched battle (Tacitus, Annals
Annals (Tacitus)
The Annals by Tacitus is a history of the reigns of the four Roman Emperors succeeding Caesar Augustus. The surviving parts of the Annals extensively cover most of the reigns of Tiberius and Nero. The title Annals was probably not given by Tacitus, but derives from the fact that he treated this...
. vi. 32-35). At a later period (c. 52) he instigated his son Rhadamistus
Rhadamistus
Rhadamistus was an Iberian prince who reigned in Armenia from 51 to 53 and 54 to 55 CE. Considered to be an usurper and tyrant, he was overthrown in a rebellion supported by the Parthian Empire.- Life :...
, whose ambitious and aspiring character began to give him umbrage, to make war upon his uncle Mithridates, and supported him in his enterprise; but when Rhadamistus was in his turn expelled by the Parthians, after a short reign (AD 55), and took refuge again in his father's dominions; Pharasmanes, in order to curry favor with the Romans, who had expressed their displeasure at the proceedings of Rhadamistus, put his son to death (ib. xii. 42-48, xiii. 6, 37.). Pharasmanes was apparently succeeded by his son Mithridates (Mihrdat) I
Mithridates I of Iberia
Mithridates I was the 1st-century king of Iberia whose reign is evidenced by epigraphic material. Cyril Toumanoff suggests AD 58-106 as the years of his reign....
.
Toumanoff has tentatively suggested the identification of Pharasmanes with the Aderki (or Rok) of the medieval Georgian chronicles whose reign is said to have coincided with the appearance of the first Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
communities in Georgia, and the travel of the Jews
Georgian Jews
The Georgian Jews are from the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus...
from Mtskheta
Mtskheta
Mtskheta , one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia , is located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region...
to Jerusalem whence they witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
and brought the Holy Tunic
Seamless robe of Jesus
The Seamless Robe of Jesus is the robe said to have been worn by Jesus during his crucifixion...
to Iberia. According to the Georgian chronicles, Aderki’s division of his kingdom between his two sons, Kartam (Kardzam) and Bartom (Bratman), inaugurated the start of dyarchy in Iberia which would last for five generations. Many modern scholars, however, doubt the existence of the diarchy, for the contemporary foreign source make references only to sole monarch.