| Erato | |
|---|---|
| Queen of Armenia 1st co-reign withTigranes IV | |
| Reign | 8–5 BC |
| Predecessor | Tigranes III |
| Successor | Artavasdes III |
| Queen of Armenia 2nd co-reign withTigranes IV | |
| Reign | 2 BC–AD 1 |
| Predecessor | Artavasdes III |
| Successor | Herself |
| Queen of Armenia sole reign | |
| Reign | 1–2 AD |
| Predecessor | Tigranes IV andHerself |
| Successor | Ariobarzanes II |
| Queen of Armenia co-reign withTigranes V | |
| Reign | 6–12 AD |
| Predecessor | Artavasdes IV |
| Successor | Vonones I |
| Spouse | Tigranes IV |
| Dynasty | Artaxiad |
| Father | Tigranes III |
Erato (Armenian: Էրատո) was a queen ofArmenia from theArtaxiad dynasty. She co-ruled as Roman client queen in 8–5 BC and 2 BC–AD 1 withTigranes IV.[1] Erato reigned alone in 1–2 AD.[2] After living in political exile for a number of years, she co-ruled as Roman client queen from 6 until 12 withTigranes V,[3] her distant paternal relative and possible second husband. She may be viewed as one of the last hereditary rulers of her nation.[4]
Erato was the second child and the known daughter born toTigranes III. She had an older paternal half-brotherTigranes IV.[5] Erato was born and raised either inRome, where her father lived in political exile for 10 years[6] from 30 BC until 20 BC, or during her father's kingship of Armenia from 20 BC until 10 BC.[7]
Erato's father, Tigranes III, died before 6 BC.[8] In 8 BC,[3] the Armenians installed Tigranes IV as successor of Tigranes III.[9] In accordance with Oriental orHellenistic custom, Tigranes IV married Erato in order to preserve the purity of the Artaxiad bloodline. Erato became queen through marriage to her half-brother.[5][10] Erato and Tigranes IV had a daughter who married KingPharasmanes I of Iberia (1 AD-58), with whom she had three sons,Mithridates I of Iberia,Rhadamistus, and Amazasp (known from a Greekinscription found in Rome).
Although they were clients of theRoman Empire, Tigranes IV and Erato were both anti-Roman and not the choices ofRoman emperorAugustus.[11] Their dual rule lacked Roman approval and they leaned towardsParthia for support.[12] Rome and Parthia competed with one another for influence over Armenia.[13] Anti-Roman sentiment was building in Armenia during the reign of Tigranes IV and Erato, according toFestus, who emphasizes that the kingdom of Armenia was very strong during this period.
The discontent of the ruling Artaxiad monarchs and their subjects towards Rome had instigated war with the help of KingPhraates V of Parthia. To avoid a full-scale war with Rome, Phraates V soon ceased his support to the Armenian monarchs. This led Tigranes IV and Erato to acknowledge Romansuzerainty[12] and send their good wishes and submission to Rome. Augustus then allowed them to remain in power.[14]
In 1 C.E., Tigranes IV was killed in battle,[14] perhaps ending an internal Armenian revolt[15] of those who were infuriated by the royal couple becoming allies to Rome.
Erato reigned alone in 1–2 AD.[2] In the chaos that followed, Erato abdicated[16] and lived in political exile. The Armenians then requested from Augustus a new king. Augustus appointedAriobarzanes of Media Atropatene as the new king of Armenia[17] in 2 AD. Ariobarzanes through his father was a distant relative of the Artaxiad dynasty as he was a descendant of a sister of KingArtavasdes II.[18]
In the year 6,Artavasdes III, son and successor of Ariobarzanes, was murdered by his dissatisfied subjects. As the Armenians grew weary of foreign kings, Augustus revised his foreign policy and appointed the HerodianTigranes V, possibly a great-grandson ofArtavasdes II, as king.[19][20]
Tigranes V was accompanied by his grandfather Archelaus of Cappadocia and the future Roman emperorTiberius to Armenia, where he was installed as king.[21]Artaxata became his capital. In 6, Tigranes V ruled Armenia alone. Sometime into his reign, the Armenian nobles rebelled against him and restored Erato. Wishing to cooperate with Rome, she co-ruled with Tigranes V. Their co-rule is known from numismatic evidence.[22] They may have married.[23] They were overthrown under unknown circumstances in 12. Augustus kept Armenia as a client kingdom and appointedVonones I of Parthia as king.[24] The fate of Erato afterwards is unknown and Tigranes V may have remained living in Armenia.
The sources for the life of Erato are Roman historiansTacitus (1st and 2nd centuries),Cassius Dio (2nd and 3rd centuries) andFestus (4th century).
An image of Erato is found on an ancient coin currently kept at theNational Library in Paris. Coinage has survived from her rule with Tigranes IV. The Greek inscription names her "Erato, sister of King Tigranes".[25] Their other coinage features a depiction of Tigranes IV with Erato, inscribed with "great king, Tigranes".[26] Coinage has also survived from Erato's co-rule with Tigranes V.[22]
{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Erato of Armenia | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Queen of Armenia 8–5 BC and 2 BC–2 AD withTigranes IV (8–5 BC and 2 BC–1 AD) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Queen of Armenia 6 - 12 withTigranes V | Succeeded by |