In 54 BC Roman army with Mark Krass crossed river Euphrates from Syria side and came to town Haran in Armenian Mesopotamia with purpose to attack Parthia. At that time Parthian King Orod was invited by Artavazd n to Artashat, where the union between Armenia and Parthia was renewed and sustained by the marriage of Artavazd n sister with Orod’s sun Pakor.
In main battle near Harran Roman army was shattered (53 BC) and Krass was killed. His head was taken to Artashat and shown to Artavazd, Orrod and people in theatre where the demonstration of Greece play took place.
After 15 years, when in 39 BC Prince Pakkor with army went to Syria and Phoenicia, Roman army conquered his army and killed him. In 34 BC Mark Antoniy attacked Armenia with Roman army and came nearer Artashat, where negotiation with Artavazd n began.
But during negotiation Antoniy disloyally arrested Artavvazd. Armenian Prince Artashes attacked Antoniy to deliver his father, but could not do it. Antoniy carried off Artavazd to Alexandria where with his wife Cleopatra put Artavazd in jail, where he after three years was killed. In 31 BC M.
Antoniy perished in battle with Oktavian and Cleopatra committed suicide. In 31 BC Artashes n (31 – 20 BC) became the Kesar of the Great Armenia and extirpated Roman army which occupied Armenia.
In 20 BC other Roman army came to Armenia, Artashes Il was killed and his brother Tigran ID became the Kesar of Great Armenia (20 – 8 BC) who led politics of independence from Roma. The same did his son Tigran IV (8 – 5 BC), then his uncle Artavazd nI (5 – 3 BC).
Continuation of Roman aggression against Armenia and Parthia gave in result more consolidation of Armenian -Parthian union and relations. In 51 AD the King of Parthia became Vologes I Arshakid who was in allied relations with Armenian Kings. The top lords of Armenia decided to have closest relations with Parthia up to invitation of Arshakids to Armenian throne.
In 52 AD the brother of Vologes I Trdat became Armenian King Trdat I. But Emperor Neron (54 -68) did not want to agree and sent to the East, to Armenia Roman army with Corbulon, who occupied Artashat and then came and occupied Tigranakkert (59 AD).
Trdat I in 61 AD encompassed Tigranakkert; Vologes I came to Roman province Syria. Corbulon was forced to agree to conclude the peace agreement and to avow Trdat I as the King of independent Great Armenia.
But Neron did not agree and sent to Armenia another army with commander Pet. This army was shattered by Armenian-Partbian united army (62 BC). Neron in 64 AD was forced to avow Trdat I as King of Great Armenia. In the end of the 11 cent. BC the Dynasty of Arshakids became ancestral in Armenian throne as Aarshakouni dynasty.
Neron, as the sign of his agreement to avow Trdat I, invited him to Roma, made a gross reception, put on his head crown and gave him huge amount of gold as compensation for restoration of Artashat after Corbulon occupation. Roma could not occupy Armenia and turn it to Roman province, as it happened to Egypt, Syria, Kapadokia, Judaea and other countries.
An extract from the book “Armenians and Ancient Armenia” by Paris Herouni
