onians and the Romans, have furnished materials for Parthian
history, which, if not as complete as we might wish, have been at any
rate fairly copious and satisfactory. Now, for the space of half a
century, we are left without anything like a consecutive narrative, and
are thrown upon scattered and isolated notices, which can form only
a most incomplete and disjointed narrative. The reign of Volagases I.
appears to have continued for about twelve years after the visit of
Tiridates to Rome; and no more than three or four events are known as
having fallen into this interval. Our knowledge of the reign of Pacorus
is yet more scanty. But as the business of the workman is simply to make
the best use that he can of his materials, such a sketch of this dark
period as the notices which have come down to us allow will now be
attempted.

When the troubles which followed upon the death of Nero shook the Roman
world, and after the violent ends of Galba and Otho, the governor of
Judaea, Vespasian, resolved to become a candidate for the imperial power
(A.D. 69), Volagases was at once informed by envoys of the event, and
was exhorted to maintain towards the new monarch the same peaceful
attitude which he had now for seven years observed towards his
predecessors. Volagases not only complied with the request, out sent
ambassadors in return to Vespasian, while he was still at Alexandria
(A.D. 70), and offered to put at his disposal a body of forty thousand
Parthian cavalry. The circumstances of his position allowed Vespasian to
decline this magnificent proposal, and to escape the odium which
would have attached to the employment of foreign troops against his
countrymen. His generals in Italy had by this time carried all before
them; and he was able, after thanking the Parthian monarch, to inform
him that peace was restored to the Roman world, and that he had
therefore no need of auxiliaries. In the same friendly spirit in which
he had made this offer, Volagases, in the next year (A.D. 71), sent
envoys to Titus at Zeugma, who presented to him the Parthian king's
congratulations on his victorious conclusion of the Jewish war, and
begged his acceptance of a crown of gold. The polite attention was
courteously received; and before allowing them to return to their master
the young prince hospitably entertained the Parthian messengers at a
banquet.

Soon after this, circumstances occurred in the border state of Commagene
which threatened a ru