Artavasdes III of Armenia

Artavasdes III of Armenia; also known as Artavasdes II of Atropatene;Artavasdes II of Media Atropatene and Armenia Major;Artavasdes II and Artavasdes (20 BC-6) was a Prince who served as King of Media Atropatene. During his reign of Media Atropatene, Artavasdes also served as a Roman Client King of Armenia Major.

Artavasdes was a monarch of Median, Armenian and Greek descent. He was the first son born to King Ariobarzanes II of Atropatene by an unnamed wife. He had a younger brother called Gaius Julius Ariobarzanes I and may had a possible nephew called Gaius Julius Ariobarzanes II. Artavasdes was the namesake of his paternal grandfather, a previous ruling King of Media Atropatene and Sophene, Artavasdes I. He was born and raised in Media Atropatene.

The father of Artavasdes, Ariobarzanes II died on June 26, 4 and Artavasdes succeeded his father as King of Media Atropatene and Armenia. Like his father, Artavasdes in his kingship of Media Atropatene and Armenia, based his rule at Artagira, which his late father made the city, their capital. As Artavasdes, was both King of Media Atropatene and Armenia, as King of Media Atropatene he is known as Artavasdes II and as King of Armenia, he is known as Artavasdes III.

Unfortunately, the reign of Artavasdes didn't last. As his father, as King was respected by his subjects, this was the opposite for Artavasdes. As a ruling King, over the Atropatenians and Armenians, he proved to be an unpopular monarch. In 6, Artavasdes was quickly killed by his subjects.

In his Kingship of Media Atropatene, Artavasdes was succeeded by his paternal first cousin Artabanus and in the Kingship of Armenia the Roman emperor Augustus, appointed the Herodian Prince Tigranes. Artavasdes from an unnamed wife was survived by a son called Gaius Julius Artavasdes.

Coinage has survived from the reign of Artavasdes. They have been dated from 2 until 10. An example of this is on one surviving coin dated from his reign, is on the obverse side shows the head of Augustus with the Greek inscription ΘΕΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ which means of Caesar, the God, the Benefactor, while on the reverse side shows the head of Artavasdes, with the Greek inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΤΑΥΑΖΔΟΥ which means of Great King Artavasdes.

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