PHRAATES IV., who is described as the most wicked of the sons of
Orodes, commenced his reign by murdering his father, his thirty brothers, and his own son, who
was grown up, that there might be none of the royal family whom the Parthians could place upon
the throne in his stead. In consequence of his cruelty many of the Parthian nobles tied to
Antony (B. C. 37) and among the rest Monaeses, who was
one of the most distinguished men in Parthia. At the instigation of Monaeses, Antony resolved
to invade Parthia, and promised Monaeses the kingdom. Phraates, alarmed at this, induced
Monaeses to return to him; but Antony notwithstanding persevered in his intention of invading
Parthia. It was not, however, till late in the year (B. C. 36) that
he commenced his march, as he was unable to tear himself away from Cleopatra. The expedition
was a perfect failure; he was deceived by the Armenian king, Artavasdes, and was induced by
him to invade Media, where he laid siege to Praaspi or Praata. His legate, Statianus, meantime
was cut off with 10,000 Romans; and Antony, finding that he was unable to take the town, was
at length obliged to raise the siege and retire from the country. In his retreat through Media
and Armenia he lost a great number of men, and with great difficulty reached the Araxes with a
part of his troops. (D. C. 49.23_31;
Plut. Ant. cc. 37-51; Strab. xi. p.523,
&c.; Liv. Epit. 130.)
The breaking out of the civil war soon afterwards between Antony and Octavianus compelled
the former to give up his intention of again invading Parthia. He formed, however, an alliance
with the king of Media against the Parthians, and gave to the former part of Armenia which had
been recently conquered. But as soon as Antony had withdrawn his troops in order to oppose
Octavianus, the Parthian king overran both Media and Armenia, and placed upon the Armenian
throne Artaxias, the son of Artavasdes, whom Antony had deposed. (D. C.
49.44.) Meantime the cruelties of Phraates had produced a rebellion against him. He
was driven out of the country, and Tiridates proclaimed king in his stead. Phraates, however,
was soon restored by the Scythians, and Tiridates fled to Augustus, carvying with him the
youngest son of Phraates. Hereupon Phraates sent an embassy to Rome to demand the restoration
of his son and Tiridates. Augustus, however, refused to surrender the latter; but he sent back
his son to Phraates, on condition of his surrendering the Roman standards and prisoners taken
in the war with Crassus and Antony. They were not, however, given up till three years
afterwards (B. C. 20), when the visit of Augustus to the east appears
to have alarmed the Parthian king. Their restoration caused universal joy at Rome, and was
celebrated not only by the poets, but by festivals, the erection of a triumphal arch and
temple, and other monuments. Coins also were struck to commemorate the event, on one of which
we find the inscription SIGNISRECEPTIS. (D. C. 51.18, 53.33, 54.8 ; Justin, 42.5; Suet. Aug, 21; Hor. Ep. 1.18.
56, Carm. 4.15. 6; Ovid, Ov. Tr. 2.1.
228, Fast. 6.467, Ar. Am. 1.179, &c.;
Propert. 2.10, 3.4, 3.5. 49, 4.6.79; Eckhel, vi. pp. 94-97.) Phraates also sent to Augustus as
hostages his four sons, with their wives and children, who were carried to Rome. According to
some accounts he delivered them up to Augustus, not through fear of the Roman power, but lest
the Parthians should appoint any of them king in his stead, or according to others, through
the influence of his Italian wife, Thennusa, by whom he had a fifth son, Phraataces. (Tac. Ann. 2.1; J. AJ 18.2.4; Strab. xvi. p.748.) In A. D. 2, Phraates
took possession of Armenia, and expelled Artavasdes, who had been appointed king by Augustus,
but was compelled soon after to give it up again. (D. C. 55.11;
Vell. 2.101; Tac. Ann. 2.4.) He was shortly afterwards poisoned
by his wife Thermusa, and his son Phraataces. (Joseph. l.c.) The coin
given under Arsaces XIV. is assigned by most modern writers to this king.