| Pharasmanes II | |
|---|---|
 King Pharasmanes (Parsman II) | |
| 13thKing of Iberia (more...) | |
| Reign | 116-132 |
| Predecessor | Amazasp I |
| Successor | Ghadam |
| Born | Mtskheta,Kingdom of Iberia |
| Died | 132 |
| Spouse | Ghadana |
| Issue | Ghadam |
| Dynasty | Pharnavazid dynasty |
| Father | Amazasp I of Iberia |
| Religion | Georgian paganism |
Pharasmanes II the Valiant orthe Brave (Georgian:ფარსმან II ქველი) was a king (mepe) ofIberia (Kartli) from thePharnavazid dynasty, contemporary of theRoman emperorHadrian (r. 117–138). ProfessorCyril Toumanoff suggests AD 116–132 as the years of Pharasmanes’ reign. He features in severalClassical accounts.
The medieval Georgian annals report Pharasmanes' joint rule with Pharasmanes Avaz,diarchs (one source has the extra pair: Rok and Mihrdat), but several modern scholars consider the Iberian diarchy unlikely as it is not corroborated by the contemporary evidence. Pharasmanes is reported to have been the son of his predecessor, KingAmazasp I. He is said to have marriedGhadana, daughter of KingVologases I of Armenia.[1] According to the medievalLife of Kings, the traditional friendship of the two dyarchy soured at the instigation of theIranian wife of Mihrdat. Toumanoff regards this information a back-projection of the historically recorded enmity ofPharasmanes I of Iberia and his brotherMithridates of Armenia.[2] The chronicle then continues a story of an Armenian-Roman alliance and their invasion of theIranian-backed Iberia in which Pharasmanes finds his death.[3]
TheGeorgian royal annals describe Pharasmanes in the following way:
ფარსმან ქუელი იყო კაცი კეთილი და უხუად მომნიჭებელი და შემნდობელი, ასაკითა შუენიერი, ტანითა დიდი და ძლიერი, მჴნე მჴედარი და შემმართებელი ბრძოლისა, უშიში ვითარცა უჴორცო და ყოვლითავე უმჯობესი ყოველთა მეფეთა ქართლისათა, რომელნი გარდაცვალებულ იყვნეს უწინარეს მისსა.
Pharasmanes the Valiant was a man of kindness and abundance and compassion, beautiful of his age, of big and strong body, courageous horseman and inspirational warrior, fearless as fleshless and all the greater with everything of all the kings ofKartli, who were dead before him.[4]
The contemporary Classical authors, with more solid historical background, focus on Pharasmanes’ uneasy relations with Rome. He refused in 129 to come and pay homage to the emperorHadrian.
According to the Aelius Spartianus, one of the authors ofAugustan History:
And when some of the kings came to him, he treated them in such a way that those who had refused to come regretted it. He took this course especially on account of Pharasmanes, who had haughtily scorned his invitation.[5][6]
Pharasmanes then went touring the East, and prompted theAlans to attack the neighboring Roman provinces by giving them a passage through his realm,[7] even though the emperor had sent him greater gifts including awar elephant, than to any other king of the East. In his pique, Hadrian dressed some 300 criminals in the gold-embroidered cloaks which were part of the return gift of Pharasmanes, and sent them into the arena.
According to Spartianus:
He showed a multitude of favours to many kings, but from a number he even purchased peace, and by some he was treated with scorn; to many he gave huge gifts, but none greater than to the king of the Iberians, for to him he gave an elephant and a band of fifty men, in addition to magnificent presents. And having himself received huge gifts from Pharasmanes, including some cloaks embroidered with gold, he sent into the arena three hundred condemned criminals dressed in gold-embroidered cloaks as an insult to the king.[8]
Eventually, the ancient sources report a highly honored visit paid by Pharasmanes to Hadrian's successorAntoninus Pius. According toCassius Dio, he came to Rome as guest ofAntoninus Pius, together with his wife, son, and noble retinue where he was especially honored, being allowed to sacrifice in theCapitol and to have his equestrian statue in thetemple of Bellona, and also the emperor increased the territory of his kingdom.[9] This Pharasmanes, however, might have beenPharasmanes III, Pharasmanes II's possible grandson.[2] This visit was recorded on a fragment of theFasti Ostienses.[10]
According to theGeorgian royal annals King Pharasmanes was poisoned by thechef sent by theParthians.
მაშინ სპარსთა გება-ყვეს სიმარჯუე ესე, რამეთუ მოიყვანეს მზარეული ერთი, და აღუთქუეს მას კეთილი დიდი, და რქუეს ესრეთ, ვითარმედ: "წარვედ და შემწყნარე ფარსმან ქუელსა, და წარიტანე შენ თანა წამალი სასიკუდინე, და შეუზავე საჭმელსა თანა მისსა და შეაჭამე". ხოლო წარვიდა მზარეული იგი და ყო ეგრეთ, ვითარცა უთხრეს სპარსთა მათ. და ესრეთ მოკლა ფარსმან მეფე ქუელი.
And then the Persians tried to have some adroitness, and they brought one chef, and promised him great bestowal, and they told him: "Go and serve Pharasmanes the Valiant, and carry with yourself a medicine of death, and mix it with his meal and make him eat it". And a chef went and did so, as the Persians told him to. And that's how he killed Pharasmanes, the valiant king.[11]
Pharasmanes II Died: 132 AD | ||
| Preceded by | King of Kartli 116–132 | Succeeded by |