.
138) Hadrian died and was succeeded by his adopted son, T. Aurelius,
better known as Antoninus Pius, Volagases sent to Rome an embassy of
congratulation, and presented the new monarch with a crown of gold.

It was probably at this same time that he ventured to make an unpleasant
demand. Hadrian had promised that the golden throne which Trajan had
captured, in his expedition, and by which the Parthians set so much
store, should be surrendered to them; but this promise he had failed to
perform. Volagases appears to have thought that his successor might
be more facile, and accordingly instructed his envoys to re-open the
subject, to remind Antoninus of the pledged faith of his adopted father,
and to make a formal request for the delivery of the valued relic.
Antoninus, however, proved as obdurate as Hadrian. He was not to be
persuaded by any argument to give back the trophy; and the envoys had
to return with the report that their representations upon the point had
been in vain, and had wholly failed to move the new Emperor.

The history of Volagases II. ends with this transaction. No events are
assignable to the last ten years of his reign, which was probably a
season of profound repose, in the East as it was in the West--a period
having (as our greatest historian observes of it) "the rare advantage
of furnishing very few materials for history," which is, indeed (as
he says), "little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and
misfortunes of mankind." The influence of Rome extended beyond his
borders. As in modern times it has become a proverb that when a
particular European nation is satisfied the peace of the world is
assured, so in the days whereof we are treating it would seem that
Rome had only to desire repose, for the surrounding nations to find
themselves tranquil. The inference appears to be that not only were the
wars which occurred between Rome and her neighbors for the most
part stirred up by herself, but that even the civil commotions which
disturbed States upon her borders had very generally their origin in
Roman intrigues, which, skilfully concealed from view, nevertheless
directed the course of affairs in surrounding States, and roused in
them, when Rome thought her interests required it, civil differences,
disorders, and contentions.

The successor of Volagasos II. was Volagases III., who was most probably
his son, although of this there is no direct evidence. The Parthian
coins show that Volag