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Source: Event: Ruled BET. 213 - 224 King of Parthia 3 Event: Ruled BET. 207 - 213 King of Media 2 Note: Artabanus IV (fl. 3rd century), last king of the Parthian empire (reigned c. AD 213-224) in southwest Asia. He was the younger son of Vologases IV, who died probably in 207, and was ruling the Median provinces at the time of his rebellion (c. 213) against his brother, Vologases V. By 216 he had apparently extended his power over the Mesopotamian part of the empire, although Vologases continued to strike coins at the Seleucia mint until 222 or 223. The Roman emperor Caracalla attacked Artabanus in 216, ravaging much of Media and desecrating the Parthian royal tombs at Arbela (modern 'Arbil, Iraq). In 217 Artabanus counterattacked; Caracalla was assassinated, and his successor, Macrinus, who was defeated at Nisibis (Nisibin), made peace with heavy indemnities. Meanwhile, however, Ardashir the Sasanian, who had begun his rule as petty king in the province of Persis in 208, had been steadily extending his domains and winning Iranian allies against Parthian overlordship. Revolt became general, and Artabanus was finally killed in battle against Ardashir. [Encyclopaedia Britannica CD '97, ARTABANUS] ---------- Artabanus IV., the last Parthian king, younger son of Vologaeses IV., who died A.D. 209. He rebelled against his brother Vologaeses V. (Dio Cass. vii, 12), and soon obtained the upper hand, although Vologaeses V. maintained himself in a part of Babylonia till about A.D. 222. The Emperor Caracalla, wishing to make use of this civil war for a conquest of the East, attacked the Parthians in 216. He crossed the Tigris, destroyed the towns and spoiled the tombs of Arbela; but when Artabanus advanced at the head of an army, he retired to Carrhae. There he was murdered by Macrinus in April 217. Macrinus was defeated at Nisibis and concluded a peace with Artabanus, in which he gave up all the Roman conquests, restored the booty, and paid a heavy contribution to the Parthians (Dio Cass. lxxviii. 26 et seq.). But at the same time, the Persian dynast Ardashir had already begun his conquests in Persia and Carmania. When Artabanus tried to subdue him his troops were defeated. The war lasted several years; at last Artabanus himself was vanquished and killed (A.D. 226), and the rule of the Arsacids came to an end