Abgar X.

Abgar X. ( Aelius Septimius Abgarus ) ruled as King of Osrhoene from about AD 239 to 242 . He was a son of the designated heir to the throne Ma'nu, who is likely to have been either the son or grandson of the Osrhoen ruler Abgar VIII .

The fact that Abgar X., attested by coins, is identical to Abgar Prahates filius rex principis Orrhenorum , mentioned in an urban Roman inscription , is often assumed in research, but has not been proven beyond doubt. According to its coins, it was named after the Roman emperor Gordian III. used as King of Osrhoene. His appointment was probably made in 239 AD on the occasion of Gordian's stay in the Orient in connection with the measures taken by the emperor to reduce the threat posed by the Sassanids . Abgar's residence was probably initially in Anthemusias because Edessa , the former capital of Osrhoene, had meanwhile been converted into a Roman colonia .

The coins minted by Abgar X. show him riding a horse with a tiara adorned with a diadem . Gordian III. distinguished Abgar X. by being awarded the Ornamenta consularia . Although the end of Abgar's reign is usually assumed to be the year 241/242 AD, it could also have extended to 248/249, among other things because the Syrian scholar Jacob von Edessa marked this year as the end of the Osrhoenic Kingdom indicates. Under what circumstances the empire perished is not known.

literature

Paul von Rohden : Abgar 11 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume I, 1, Stuttgart 1893, Col. 95 f.
JB Segal: Abgar. In: Encyclopædia Iranica , Vol. 1 (1982), pp. 210-213 ( online )
Martin Schottky: Abgar 4. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 1, Metzler, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-476-01471-1 , Sp. 15.

Remarks

↑ CIL 000006 VI, 1797
↑ Ernest Babelon : Numismatique d'Édesse en Mésopotamie , Paris 1893, pp. 286–292, No. 91–102; among others
^ SK Ross: Roman Edessa. Politics and Culture on the Eastern Fringes of the Roman Empire, 114-242 CE , London 2001, pp. 75 ff.
↑ For example A. Luther: Nordmesopotamien , in: Klaus-Peter Johne (Ed.): The time of the soldiers emperors. Crisis and transformation of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century AD. (235-284) , Berlin 2008, p. 506 ff.

personal data
SURNAME	Abgar X.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	King of Osrhoene
DATE OF BIRTH	2nd century or 3rd century
DATE OF DEATH	3rd century

[1] CIL 000006 VI, 1797

[2] Ernest Babelon : Numismatique d'Édesse en Mésopotamie , Paris 1893, pp. 286–292, No. 91–102; among others

[3] SK Ross: Roman Edessa. Politics and Culture on the Eastern Fringes of the Roman Empire, 114-242 CE , London 2001, pp. 75 ff.

[4] For example A. Luther: Nordmesopotamien , in: Klaus-Peter Johne (Ed.): The time of the soldiers emperors. Crisis and transformation of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century AD. (235-284) , Berlin 2008, p. 506 ff.