Vologases of Armenia

Vologases of Armenia
King of Armenia
Reign	378–386
Predecessor	Arshak III
Successor	Khosrov IV
Born	372-374
Died	386
House	Arsacid

Vologases also known as Vologases III and Vagharsh III (Armenian: Վաղարշ, flourished 4th century – died 386) was a Prince who served as a Roman Client King of Arsacid Armenia. Vologases served as a co-king with his brother Arsaces III from 378 until 386.

Vologases was the second 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 and had an elder brother called Arsaces III (Arshak III). His known grandparents who were his paternal ones were the previous ruling Arsacid Monarchs Arsaces II (Arshak II) and his wife Pharantzem.

Vologases was named in honor of his Parthian and Armenian ancestors who ruled . He was born at an unknown date in his father’s reign and was raised in Armenia. Following the assassination of his father in 374, as Vologases and Arsaces III and his brother were too young to rule, the Roman emperor Valens had 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 to rule under the regency of the sparapet Mushegh I Mamikonian, whose family were pro-Roman.

In 378 with the failed reign of Varasdates and the murder of Mushegh Mamikonian, the latter's brother, Manuel Mamikonian, filled the position of sparapet. Furious at the king, Manuel drove out Varasdates from Armenia back to Rome. Manuel raised Arsaces III and Vologases to the throne as co-kings of Armenia, under the nominal regency of their mother Zarmandukht.

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