ned between Antony
and Trajan did the interests of Rome and Parthia come into collision,
and in connection with this kingdom alone did any struggle between the
two countries continue.

Phraates, after yielding to Augustus in the matter of the standards and
prisoners, appears for many years to have studiously cultivated his good
graces. In the interval between B.C. 11 and B.C. 7, distrustful of his
subjects, and fearful of their removing him in order to place one of his
sons upon the Parthian throne, he resolved to send these possible rivals
out of the country; and on this occasion he paid Augustus the compliment
of selecting Rome for his children's residence. The youths were four in
number, Vonones, Seraspadanes, Rhodaspes, and Phraates; two of them were
married and had children; they resided at Rome during the remainder of
their father's lifetime, and were treated as became their rank, being
supported at the public charge and in a magnificent manner. The Roman
writers speak of these as "hostages" given by Phraates to the Roman
Emperor; but this was certainly not the intention of the Parthian
monarch; nor could the idea well be entertained by the Romans at the
time of their residence.

These amicable relations between the two sovereigns would probably have
continued undisturbed till the death of one or the other, had not a
revolution occured in Armenia, which tempted the Parthian king beyond
his powers of resistance. On the death of Artaxias (B.C. 20), Augustus,
who was then in the East, had sent Tiberius into Armenia to arrange
matters, and Tiberius had placed upon the throne a brother of Artaxias,
named Tigranes. Tigranes died in B.C. 6, and the Armenians, without
waiting to know the will of the Roman Emperor, conferred the royal title
on his sons, for whose succession he had before his death paved the
way by associating them with him in the government. Enraged at this
assumption of independence, Augustus sent an expedition into Armenia
(B.C. 5), deposed the sons of Tigranes, and established on the throne a
certain Artavasdes, whose birth and parentage are not known to us. But
the Armenians were not now inclined to submit to foreign dictation;
they rose in revolt against Artavasdes (ab. B.C. 2), defeated his Roman
supporters, and expelled him from the kingdom. Another Tigranes was made
king; and, as it was pretty certain that the Romans would interfere
with this new display of the spirit of independence, the Parthian