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Durham E-Theses Roman-parthlan relations in the time of Augustus with reference to Augustus' foreign policy Lander, James How to cite: Lander, James (1975) Roman-parthlan relations in the time of Augustus with reference to Augustus' foreign policy, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9897/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Abstract Roman-Parthian Relations In the time of Augustus with reference to Augustus* Foreign Policy A thesis for the degree of Master of Arts by James Lander The Parthlansy heirs to the Seleucld empire, yet hardly touched by Hellenism, had a tough, nomadic back• ground which enabled them to resist any Imposition of the traditional client-patron relationship of Roman foreign policy. Though socially and politically de• centralized, the Parthlans were yet able to defeat Crassus, twice Invade Syria, and later turn back an Invasion by Antonlus. Augustus, neither a pacific consolldator nor a world-conqueror, maintained a flexible policy toward Parthla. Conquest was not a prudent aim, yet the sta• bility of the eastern possessions .of the Roman empire required that Rome be In a position superior to Parthla. For a time Augustus carried on a policy (begun, In fact, by Antonlus) of supporting a rival to the Parthian throne, but this brought no long-term success. The return of Crassus' captured standards, which would sym• bolize Parthla' s submission, was effected In 20 B.C., but only after Augustus seriously threatened war and seized Armenia* Maintaining an effective suzerainty In Armenia, whose strategic and prestige value was great. II became the crux of Augustus* policy. This policy was adhered to by Tiberius, alLov/ed to lapse by Caligula, and then was revived by Claudius. But In Nero's reign, amid altered circumstances In both East and West, a Parthian nominee was allowed to sit on the Armenian throne. Peace followed, but Vespasian felt the need"to fortify the frontier, and. In effect, made the preparations for Trajan's solution to the re• awakened feud: conquest and annexation. Despite his military successes, Trajan could not stabilize the situ• ation: Hadrian felt compelled to withdraw. The violence continued on this frontier even long after the Parthlans had been replaced by the Persians In the third century. The virtue of Augustus' policy was that It attempted no absolute remedies, but Instead, through constant ef• fort, Intervention and re-adjustment, Roman predominance was maintained west of the Euphrates, the Parthlans were kept off balance, and Augustus avoided a strenuous east• ern war which the young empire could Ill-afford. Roman-Parthlan Relations In the time of Augustus with reference to Augustus' Foreign Policy A thesis submitted for the Degree of Master of Arts at the University of Durham James Lander The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. - 1975 - Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr# Roger Tomlln, who has supervised my work, for his consistently, excellent sug• gestions and corrections. His advice, on every occasion It was sought, proved direct and thorough. For whatever clarity and depth this thesis can claim. Dr. Tomlln Is jointly responsible. Yet, throughout the research and writing. Dr. TomLln has always left me enough rein so , that I will not hesitate to call this work, and Its errors, mine. I am also grateful to Professor G.B. Townend, head of the Department of Classics, and Edna Jenklnson, sen-, lor lecturer In that department, for their warm Interest In my progress, and for their kindness, which was an en• couragement needed and appreciated. For reading this work through and catching my typing errors, I have Bruce Robinson to thank. It may be Inappropriate to dedicate such a work, written for a degree; but the 'thing' Is tinged by my personality, which. In turn, has been coloured by the personalities of others, to whom I would like to make this dedication: to my.parents, who have had a knowledge to give beside which all other knowledge pales; and to Harry Blagg and Alan MacLachlan, mis amlgos. Durham.. June, 197S » Contents Abbreviations page vll Introduction: The Topic, the Approach and Questions, and the Problem of Augustus i Chapters One: Parthla 9 Two: Roman Imperialism and Contacts with Par• thla, 92-44 B.C. 24 Three: Antonlus and Roman Affairs In the East 50 Four: The Parthian Civil War, 35-29 B.C.. 69 Five: Augustan Poets as Evidence for Augustan Policy 76 Six: Augustus' Geographical Knowledge and a Policy of World Conquest 86 Seven: Octavlan In 29 B.C. 98 Eight: Octavlan and Tlrldates, 30-25 B.C. 105 Nine: Octavlan and Rome, 29-23 B.C. 110 Ten: The Mission of Agrlppa -117 Eleven: Augustus' Tour of the East 126 Twelve: A New East after 20 B.C. 139 Thirteen: Events East and V/est, 16-2 B.C. 144 Fourteen: The Mission of Galus, 2 B.C.-A.D. 4 151 Fifteen:; A.D. 4 to Augustus' Death 157 Sixteen: A Summary of Augustus' Policy 164 Seventeen: The Policy of Tiberius 167 Eighteen: The Policies of Galus and Claudius 175 vl Nineteen: Corbulo's Campaigns and the Neronlan Settlement 182 ' Twenty: Conclusion: A Rejection Rejected 186 Appendices A: References to Parthla In Augustan Poetry 193 B: Sources for Reconstructing Agrlppa's Map 195 Ci The Kings of Parthla 198 Bibliography 200 Maps Kingdoms and Regions 210 Towns and Cities 211 Abbreviations CAH Cambridge Ancient History. 12 vol. Cambridge, 1923-39. CIL Corpus Inscrlptlonum Latlnarum. Ber- . im, 1863-. ILS H. Dessau. Inscrlptlones Latlnae. Selectae. 3 vols In S part?. Berlin, 1892-1916. JRS Journal of Roman Studies. 1911-. Magle, RRIAM D. Magle. Roman Rule Uj Asia Minor. Princeton, 1950. , OCD Oxford Classical Dictionary. Ed. N.G.L. Hammond and H.H. Scullard. 2nd ed. Oxford, 1970. PIR ProsopQgraphla Imperil Romanl. Ed. E. Klebs, H. Dessau, and P. de Rohden. 1st ed. 3 parts. Ber• lin, 1897-8. P-W A. Pauly, G. Wlssowa, and W. Kroll. Real-Encvclopadle der klasslschen Alte r tumwlssenschaf t. Stuttgart, 1893-. Svme. RR R. Syme. The Roman Revolution. Oxford, 1939. Introduction The Topic, the Approach and Questions, and the Problem of Augustus We study Roman history by starting with the City and expanding as the empire expanded. The centre of all motivation and action Is Rome) the results radiate to regions whose own events are like ripples spread out across the splashed pool. Parthla was on the periphery of the Roman world and Is on the periphery of Roman his• tory. Parthla Itself was an empire for over four centu• ries, and for over three centuries was In contact with the Romans. One period of this contact Is relatively weII-documented because It coincides with one of the greatest epochs In ancient history—the reign of Augus• tus. It was a transitional period for the ancient'world. Augustus' rule Is engrossing and Important for the tra• ditions followed or discarded and the precedents estab• lished. His policy toward Parthla borrows much of Its fascination from the continuing themes of the East con• fronting the West, the barbarian facing the civilized world, the need to consolidate and fortify an empire— and the desire to expand. Therefore I would like to examine Augustus' policy toward Parthla with the Intent of understanding not only the details, but also the broader lines. This will not' be a simple study of events, for two reasons. First, no policy—reflecting desires and Intended goals—can be studied outside Its historical context. So my thesis will begin with a look at relevant events of Parthian and Roman history, and a discussion of Roman Imperialism up to the time of Augustus. Secondly, I discovered early In my research that the foreign policy of a great power cannot be understood by studying only one of Its facets, and the Individual parts have little meaning away from the whole.^ But, In trying to characterize the overall foreign policy of Augustus, one Immediately finds a tra• ditional view which Is undergoing needed overhaul, and a new^ 'heretical'^ theory which has not yet been fully developed on an absolutely sound basis. So, more pre• liminary work Is called for. At the very beginning of his Decline and Fall of the Roman Emplre. Edward Gibbon declared: 'It was reserved for Augustus to relinquish the Eun- bltlous design of subduing the whole earth, and to Introduce a spirit of moderation Into the pub 1,1c councils. Inclined to peace by his temper and sit• uation. It was easy for him to discover that Rome, In her present exalted situation, had much leiss to hope.than to fear from the chance of arms; and that. In the prosecution of remote wars, the undertaking On this, see the Interesting criticism by Mark Hassall In his review of CM.