OSROES (also OSDROES or

See also:

• CHOSROES

CHOSROES)  , the Greek form of the Persian name Khosrau (see CHOSROES) . The form Osroes is generally used for a Parthian king who from his coins appears to have reigned from about A.D . 1o6-I29, as successor of his brother Pacorus . But during all this time another king, Vologaeses II . (77–147) maintained himself in a part of the kingdom . Osroes occupied Armenia, and placed Exedares, a son of Pacorus, and afterwards his brother Parthamasiris on the throne . This encroachment on the Roman sphere led to the Parthian war of Trajan . In 114 Parthamasiris surrendered to Trajan and was killed . In Mesopotamia a brother of Osroes, Meherdates (Mithradates IV.), and his son Sanatruces II. took the diadem and tried to withstand the Romans . Against them Trajan united with Parthamaspates, whom he placed on the throne, when he had advanced to Ctesiphon (116) . But after the death of Trajan (117) Hadrian acknowledged Osroes and made Parthamaspates king of Edessa (Osroene); he also gave back to Osroes his daughter who had been taken prisoner by Trajan (Dio . Cass .

68, 17, 22 . 33;

Malalas, p . 270 ff.; Spartian, Vita Hadr . 5 . 13; Pausan. v . 12, 6) . But meanwhile Vologaeses II. had regained a dominant position; his coins begin again in 122 and go on to 146, whereas after 121 we have no coins of Osroes except in 128 . By Procopius, Pers. i . 17, 24, the name of the territory of Osroene is derived from a dynast Osroes, but this is a false etymology (see OSROENE) . (ED .