Phraates V of Parthia

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Coin of Phraates V. Obverse shows Phraates wearing a diadem and being crowned by Nike with a wreath. Reverse shows a seated archer carrying a bow surrounded by meaningless Greek-like letterforms.

King Phraates V of Parthia, known as Phraataces (a diminutive), ruled the Parthian Empire from about 2 BC to AD 4. He was the younger son of Phraates IV and the "goddess Musa", with whom he is associated on his coins. Under Phraates V a war threatened to break out with Rome about the supremacy in Armenia and Media. But when Caesar Augustus sent his adopted son Gaius Caesar into the east in order to invade Parthia, the Parthians preferred to conclude a treaty (c. AD 1), by which once again Armenia was recognized as in the Roman sphere. Soon afterwards Phraataces and his mother were slain by the Parthians, about AD 4. Josephus alleges that Phraates married his mother Musa, and, this being unacceptable to the Parthians, they rose up and overthrew him, offering the crown to Orodes III.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, xviii, 2.

Categories: 1911 Britannica | Monarchs of Persia