Pacorus of Armenia explained
Bakur, also known as Aurelius Pacorus or Pacorus[1] (Latinized: Bacurius, Aurelius Pacorus el| Αύρήλιος Πάκορος) was a Parthian Prince who served as one of the Kings of Armenia in the 2nd century.
Bakur was a son of the Parthian monarch Vologases IV . He is known from a Greek funeral inscription[2] in Rome[3] as a dedication from him in honoring the memory of his brother Aurelius Merithates.[4] In the inscription dedication Bakur describes himself as:
Αύρήλιος Πάκορος βασιλεύς μεγάλης Άρμενίας[5] or from the Greek translation
Aurelius Pacorus King of Greater Armenia[6]
From the inscription it is evident that Bakur's brother lived and died in Rome.[7] The inscription also shows that Bakur lived for a time in Rome and had friends in Rome.[8] The name Aurelius points to a close connection with the imperial house[9] of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. At some point Bakur and his brother received Roman citizenship[10] from an emperor of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, perhaps from Lucius Verus[11] either before or after Bakur's Armenian Kingship.[12]
Bakur is known to have ruled Armenia in the second century and is the only Bakur to be appointed as King of Armenia by a ruling King of Parthia who was removed by Lucius Verus.[13] During the Roman Parthian War of 161-166, Vologases IV of Parthia in 161/162 entered the Roman Client Kingdom of Armenia, expelled the Roman Client Armenian King Sohaemus and installed Bakur as a Parthian Client King of Armenia.[14] [15]
Bakur served as an Armenian King from 161 until 163 when Lucius Verus arrived with the Roman Army in Armenia.[16] Bakur was dethroned by the Romans when they captured Armenia and the Armenian capital.[17] After Bakur was dethroned, Sohaemus was reinstalled to his Armenian Kingship.[18] Bakur's fate is unknown afterwards, however he may have been brought to live in Rome by Lucius Verus.[19]
Sources
- Armenische Arsakiden zur Zeit der Antonine. Ein Beitrag zur Korrektur der armenischen Königsliste. Schottky. Martin. 2010. ANABASIS Studia Classica et Orientalia. 1. 208–224. 2082-8993.
- Book: Federico, Frasson. Giusto. Traina. Lara. Pagani. Francesca. Gazzano. 2016. Armenia and Armenians in Asinius Quadratus’ Παρθικά. Greek Texts and Armenian Traditions: An Interdisciplinary Approach. De Gruyter. 9783110488661. 163–194.
- The Arrogant Armenian – Tiridates (Bagratuni) in Cassius Dio and Movses Khorenats'i. Juntunen. Kai. 2014. Arctos - Acta Philologica Fennica. 47. 153–172. 0570-734X.
- Book: Russell . James R. . James R. Russell . Zoroastrianism in Armenia . 1987 . Harvard University Press . 978-0674968509.
- D. Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, Taylor & Francis, 1984
- A. De Jong, Traditions of the Magi: Zoroastrianism in Greek and Latin Literature, BRILL, 1997
- M.C. Fronto & M.P.J. Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, BRILL, 1999
- A. Birley, Marcus Aurelius, Routledge, 2000
- R.G. Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, Palgrave Macmillan, 2004
See also
Notes and References
- Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.70
- De Jong, Traditions of the Magi: Zoroastrianism in Greek and Latin Literature, p.315
- Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.70
- Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.70
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.70
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, p.p.43&45
- Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, p.p.43&45
- Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, p.p.43&45
- Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, p.43
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Birley, Marcus Aurelius, p.121
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Van Den Hout, A Commentary on the Letters of M. Cornelius Fronto, p.302
- Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, p.43
- Braund, Rome and the Friendly King: The Character of the Client Kingship, p.45