Categories: Antiquities

The Battle of Armenian Prince Trdat Against the Gothic King

In 276, the Goths attacked the Roman Empire. The Gothic-Therving King, mocking the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus Augustus, challenged him to a battle.

Twenty-five years earlier, in June 251, the Gothic King Cniva killed Roman Emperor Decius and his son Herennius Etruscus in the Battle of Abritus. This was the first time for a Roman Emperor to be killed in battle.

Well-aware of this, Emperor Probus did not risk accepting the battle. He summoned his best military commander Licinius who told the emperor that only Armenian Prince Trdat (future king of Armenia Trdat III), the son of Armenian King Khosrov, was capable of fighting against the Gothic king.

Prince Trdat put on the clothes of the Roman Emperor and stood before the Gothic king. Trdat clashed with his opponent on horseback and defeated him.

The Gothic king surrendered to Trdat. He was captured and escorted by the prince to the court of Emperor Probus. Two years later, Prince Trdat acceded to the Armenian throne as King Trdat III the Great.

Gevork Nazaryan

Source: “The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars (AD 226-363), A Documentary History”, Volume 1, ed. by Michael H. Dodgeon, Samuel N. C. Lieu, Routledge, 1991.

Vigen Avetisyan

Recent Posts

A Hand Reaching Through Three Millennia: The Bronze Pendant from Yeghvard

Pendant (Amulet) in the Shape of a Human Hand | 7th–6th centuries BC | Yeghvard…

4 days ago

Duduk (Tsiranapogh): The Ancient Voice of Armenia from the Bronze Age to UNESCO Heritage

Introduction The duduk (Armenian: դուդուկ)—traditionally known as tsiranapogh (ծիրանափող, “apricot-wood pipe”)—is one of the most…

1 week ago

The Earliest Known Mention of Yerevan in Armenian Epigraphy: The 874 Inscription of Sevanavank

Perched on the rocky peninsula of Lake Sevan, the medieval monastery of Sevanavank preserves one…

2 weeks ago

The Land of Kajants: Language, Kings, and Gods

Reconsidering the Language and Sacred Heritage of Urartu in Armenian Historical Thought For more than…

4 weeks ago

Hayasa-Azzi: A Powerful Armenian Kingdom of the Armenian Highlands

Among the earliest known states of the Armenian Highlands, few are as historically important as…

1 month ago

The Frescoes of Dadivank Monastery and the Misinterpretation of Heritage

The medieval monastery of Dadivank is one of the most important spiritual and artistic centers…

1 month ago