Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the year 180 AD. Gaius Julius Sohaemus, also known as Sohaemus of Armenia and Sohaemo (Greek: Γάϊος Ἰούλιος Σόαιμος, Sohaemus is Arabic for little dagger, flourished 2nd century) was an Emesene Aristocrat from Syria who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia.
Sohaemus was a prominent person in the Roman Empire in the 2nd century from the Syrian Roman Client Emesene Dynasty. He was an aristocrat of Assyrian, Greek, Armenian, Medes and possibly of Berber, Roman ancestry. The novelist of the 2nd century, his contemporary Iamblichus claims Sohaemus has his fellow-countryman. Iamblichus calls Sohaemus as an Arsacid and Achaemenid, in his lineage and was a descendant of the Median Princess Iotapa, who was once betrothed to the Ptolemaic Prince Alexander Helios. Little is known on Sohaemus' family and early life prior to becoming King of Armenia. Before becoming King, Sohaemus had been a Roman Senator and served as a Consul in Rome at an unknown date.
In the year 144, Sohaemus succeeded Aurelius Pacorus as King of Armenia. The circumstances leading to his appointment to the Armenian throne is unknown. Sohaemus was a contemporary to the rule of the Roman Emperors: Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus and Commodus of the Nerva--Antonine dynasty. In the first reign, he ruled from the years from 144 until 161. Not much is known of about his first reign. The novelist Iamblichus living in Armenia at the time of his rule describes his reign as 'in succession to his ancestors'. This statement can also refer to his former ancestor Sohaemus of Emesa who lived in the 1st century.
In 161 Vologases IV of Parthia, son of the legitimate King Mithridates IV of Parthia, dispatched his troops to seize Armenia and eradicated the Roman legions stationed in the country under the legatus Gaius Severianus. Encouraged by the Spahbod Osroes, Parthian troops marched further West into Roman Syria.
After Armenia was seized by the Parthians, Sohaemus became
a former ruling monarch living in political exile,
possibly living in Rome.
Sohaemus was well known in Rome and there
were rumors in some quarters that he was not
the right man in the right place.
On Roman terms, Parthia had made peace with Rome,
Sohaemus was installed as King
of Armenia by Lucius Verus in
either 163 or 164. The ceremony for
Sohaemus in becoming
Armenian King for the second time,
may have took place in Antioch or Ephesus.
In 164, Latin coinage were struck in Armenia
with the inscription L. Verus. Aug. Armeniacus
and on the reverse Rex Armen(ii)s datus.
The time of his second reign is unknown.
Sohaemus reigned from 163 perhaps up to 186.
Sometime during his reign,
Sohaemus was expelled by
elements favorable to Parthia.
Sohaemus was expelled because
a man called Tiridates stirred
up trouble in Armenia who had
murdered the King of the Osroenes
and had thrust his sword in the face of
Publius Martius Verus, the Roman Governor of Cappadocia
when he rebuked for it.
Tiridates only punishment for his crimes
was to be exiled to Roman Britain,
by Marcus Aurelius.
As a result of Sohaemus' second expulsion from Armenia;
Roman forces went to war with Parthian soldiers. Parthia retook
most of their lost territory in 166, as Sohaemus from his expulsion
retreated to Syria. After Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus and the
Parthian rulers intervened in the conflict,
the son of Vologases I of Armenia, Vologases II assumed
the Armenian throne in 186.
It has been suggested that the Garni Temple in Armenia,
may have been the tomb probably belonging to Sohaemus,
based on the construction date as the temple was probably
built in 175. Sohaemus is played
by Omar Sharif in the 1964 film
The Fall of the Roman Empire. *****************************************************************************
Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the year 180 AD.
Gaius Julius Sohaemus, also known as Sohaemus
of Armenia and Sohaemo (Greek: Γάϊος Ἰούλιος Σόαιμος,
Sohaemus is Arabic for little dagger, flourished 2nd century)
was an Emesene Aristocrat from Syria who served
as a Roman Client King of Armenia.Sohaemus was
a prominent person in the Roman Empire
in the 2nd century from the Syrian Roman Client Emesene Dynasty.
He was an aristocrat of Assyrian,
Greek,
Armenian, Medes and possibly of
Berber, Roman ancestry.
The novelist of the 2nd century, his contemporary
Iamblichus claims Sohaemus
has his fellow-countryman. Iamblichus
calls Sohaemus as an Arsacid and Achaemenid,
in his lineage and was a descendant of the
Median Princess Iotapa, who was
once betrothed to the Ptolemaic Prince Alexander Helios.
Little is known on Sohaemus' family and
early life prior to becoming King of Armenia.
Before becoming King, Sohaemus had been
a Roman Senator and served as a Consul in Rome
at an unknown date.In the year 144, Sohaemus
succeeded Aurelius Pacorus as King of Armenia.
The circumstances leading to his
appointment to the Armenian throne is
unknown.
Sohaemus was a contemporary to the rule
of the Roman Emperors:
Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius,
Lucius Verus and Commodus of the
Nerva--Antonine dynasty. In the first reign,
he ruled from the years from 144 until 161.
Not much is known of about his first reign.
The novelist Iamblichus living in Armenia
at the time of his rule describes his reign
as 'in succession to his ancestors'.
This statement can also refer to his former ancestor
Sohaemus of Emesa who lived in the 1st century.
In 161 Vologases IV of Parthia, son of the legitimate
King Mithridates IV of Parthia, dispatched his troops to
seize Armenia and eradicated the Roman legions
stationed in the country under the legatus Gaius Severianus.
Encouraged by the Spahbod Osroes,
Parthian troops marched further West into Roman Syria.
After Armenia was seized by the Parthians, Sohaemus
became a former ruling monarch living in political exile,
possibly living in Rome. Sohaemus was well known in Rome
and there were rumors in some quarters that he
was not the right man in the right place.
On Roman terms, Parthia had made peace with Rome,
Sohaemus was installed as King of Armenia
by Lucius Verus in either 163 or 164.
The ceremony for Sohaemus in becoming
Armenian King for the second time, may have took place
in Antioch or Ephesus.
In 164, Latin coinage were struck in Armenia
with the inscription L. Verus. Aug.
Armeniacus and on the reverse
Rex Armen(ii)s datus.
The time of his second reign is unknown.
Sohaemus reigned from 163 perhaps up to 186.
Sometime during his reign, Sohaemus was expelled by
elements favorable to Parthia.
Sohaemus was expelled because a man called Tiridates
stirred up trouble in Armenia who had murdered
the King of the Osroenes and
had thrust his sword in the face of
Publius Martius Verus, the Roman Governor of
Cappadocia when he rebuked for it.
Tiridates only punishment for his crimes was to be
exiled to Roman Britain, by Marcus Aurelius.
As a result
of Sohaemus' second expulsion from Armenia;
Roman forces went to war with
Parthian soldiers. Parthia retook most
of their lost territory in 166, as Sohaemus
from his expulsion retreated to Syria.
After Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus and the
Parthian rulers intervened in the conflict, the son
of Vologases I of Armenia,
Vologases II assumed the Armenian throne in 186.
It has been suggested that the Garni
Temple in Armenia, may have been the tomb
probably belonging to Sohaemus,
based on the construction date as the temple
was probably built in 175.
Sohaemus is played by Omar Sharif in the 1964 film
"The Fall of the Roman Empire."