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With the reign of Antoninus Pius having been the high-water mark of Rome's era of peace and prosperity, it must have caused great alarm when the reigns of his joint-successors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus began in crisis. The Parthians under Vologases IV had broken their treaty with Rome, overrun Roman defenses, and captured Armenia. This forced a decision by which the new emperors found it necessary to part company. Marcus Aurelius remained in Rome to deal with domestic concerns and to keep a wary eye on Upper Germany and Rhaetia, where the Chatti had crossed the limes, while Verus marched eastward to confront the Parthians. In the summer of 162 Verus sailed to Asia Minor, where he took on the formidable task of bringing the Syrian army into fighting shape.
He is said to have been a tireless commander who tolerated no lax behavior among his officers and soldiers. Even if he was not directly involved in leading much of the warfare, Lucius Verus is said to have made a point of visibly sharing in his men's privations. Amid the great task at hand, though, Verus indulged some of his personal interests, which included taking on a mistress named Panthea. An Ionian Greek from Smyrna, she is described by Lucian as a woman of perfect beauty who was more impressive than any statue of Phidias or Praxiteles. She also possessed almost every other charm, including that of persuasion, for at one point she even convinced Verus to shave his beard – an act that excited much commentary from the Syrians.
Lucius Verus and his generals eventually led the Roman army to victory within its former territories and followed up with a successful counter-offensive in which the Parthian capital was razed to the ground. The result was the recovery of Armenia and Syria, the sack of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and the conquest of Media and Mesopotamia. It was one of the most successful of all Roman military efforts east of the Euphrates, and a large coinage was issued in commemoration. Among them is this aureus of 163-164 which celebrates the crowning of a certain Sohaemus as king of Armenia.
This Arsacid prince was thoroughly Romanized, being a senator and a consul, and he must have spent the lion's share of his life in Rome in anticipation of just such an occasion. Lucius Verus returned to Rome late in 166 to host his triumph jointly with Marcus Aurelius. However, the celebration was tempered by the fact that his army had brought with them a plague that would terrorize the people of the Roman Empire for the next decade and beyond. [ REX ARMEN DAT - Rex Armeniis Datus: King given to the Armenians ]
He is said to have been a tireless commander who tolerated no lax behavior among his officers and soldiers. Even if he was not directly involved in leading much of the warfare, Lucius Verus is said to have made a point of visibly sharing in his men's privations. Amid the great task at hand, though, Verus indulged some of his personal interests, which included taking on a mistress named Panthea. An Ionian Greek from Smyrna, she is described by Lucian as a woman of perfect beauty who was more impressive than any statue of Phidias or Praxiteles. She also possessed almost every other charm, including that of persuasion, for at one point she even convinced Verus to shave his beard – an act that excited much commentary from the Syrians.
Lucius Verus and his generals eventually led the Roman army to victory within its former territories and followed up with a successful counter-offensive in which the Parthian capital was razed to the ground. The result was the recovery of Armenia and Syria, the sack of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, and the conquest of Media and Mesopotamia. It was one of the most successful of all Roman military efforts east of the Euphrates, and a large coinage was issued in commemoration. Among them is this aureus of 163-164 which celebrates the crowning of a certain Sohaemus as king of Armenia.
This Arsacid prince was thoroughly Romanized, being a senator and a consul, and he must have spent the lion's share of his life in Rome in anticipation of just such an occasion. Lucius Verus returned to Rome late in 166 to host his triumph jointly with Marcus Aurelius. However, the celebration was tempered by the fact that his army had brought with them a plague that would terrorize the people of the Roman Empire for the next decade and beyond. [ REX ARMEN DAT - Rex Armeniis Datus: King given to the Armenians ]