Arshak III

Arshak III
King of Armenia
Reign	378–387
Born	371
Died	390
House	Arsacid

Arshak III, also known as Arsaces III, Arsak III and Arshak III-Vagharshak (Armenian: Գ, flourished 4th century – died 387), was a prince who served as a Roman client king of Arsacid Armenia from 378 until 387. Arshak III is often known as the last serving Roman client king of Armenia. During his reign, the part of Armenia that Arshak III governed was under Roman rule from the Peace of Acilisene.

Arshak III was the first-born son of the previous Roman client Armenian King Papas (Pap), who reigned from 370 until 374, and his wife, the Armenian noblewoman called Zarmandukht. He had a younger brother called Vologases. His known grandparents, both from his paternal side, were the previous ruling Arsacid monarchs Arsaces II (Arshak II) and his wife Pharantzem.

Arshak III was named in honor of his late paternal grandfather; several of his Parthian, Pontian and Armenian ancestors ruled with this name as King. Arshak III was born at an unknown date during his father’s reign and was raised in Armenia. Following the assassination of his father in 374, as Arshak III and his brother were too young to rule, the Roman emperor Valens sent their paternal first cousin Varasdates (Varazdat) to occupy the Armenian throne. Their cousin, who was a young man highly reputed for his mental and physical gifts, had lived in Rome for an unknown period of time. Varasdates began his rule under the regency of Mushegh I Mamikonian, whose family were pro-Roman.

In 378, following the failed reign of Varasdates and the murder of his regent Mushegh Mamikonian, the brother of Mushegh, Manuel Mamikonian, filled his late brother’s position of Sparapet. Manuel bore a grudge against the Armenian king, and raised a military force which drove Varasdates out of Armenia and back to Rome. He then raised Arshak III and Vologases to the throne as co-kings of Armenia, under the nominal regency of their mother Zarmandukht.

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