Rhadamistus

Rhadamistus (also known as Ghadam or Radamisto) was an Iberian prince who reigned in Armenia from 51 to 53 and 54 to 55 CE. Considered to be an usurper and tyrant, he was overthrown in a rebellion supported by Parthia.

Life

Rhadamistus, son of King Parsman I of Iberia (Pharasmanes), was known for his ambition, good looks, and valor. Parsman, fearing usurpation by his son, convinced Rhadamistus to make war upon his uncle, King Mithridates of Armenia, Parsman’s brother, and father of Rhadamistus' wife, Zenobia. The Iberians invaded with a large army and forced Mithridates into the fortress of Gorneas (Garni), which was garrisoned by the Romans under the command of Caelius Pollio, a prefect, and Casperius, a centurion. Pollio, swayed by Rhamistus' bribery, induced the Roman soldiers to threaten capitulation of the garrison. Under this compulsion, Mithridates agreed to surrender to his nephew. Rhadamistus executed Mithridates and his sons despite a promise of non-violence, and became King of Armenia (51).

Rome decided not to aid their Armenian allies, only nominally demanding that Pharasmanes withdraw from Armenia. The Roman governor of Cappadocia, Paelignus, invaded Armenia anyway, ravaging the country. Syrian governor Quadratus sent a force to restore order, but he was recalled so as not to provoke a war with Parthia, whose King Vologases took the opportunity to send his army into Armenia, driving out the Iberians (53). A winter epidemic forced the Parthians to withdraw from Armenia, allowing Rhadamistus to return. He punished as traitors those Armenian cities that had surrendered to the Parthians. They soon revolted and replaced him with the Parthian prince Tiridates (55). Rhadamistus had to escape along with his pregnant wife, Zenobia, of whom Tacitus relates a romantic story. Unable to bear a long ride on horse, she convinced her husband to kill her so she would not fall into the hands of their pursuers. Though stabbed and left at the banks of the Araxes, she survived and was found by some shepherds. They carried Zenobia to the court of Tiridates, who received her kindly and treated her as royalty.

Rhadamistus himself returned to Iberia. However, he was soon put to death by his father for having plotted against the royal power.

In art

*Georg Friedrich Handel scored the opera "Radamisto" (1720) to Nicola Francesco Haym's libretto, based on Domenico Lalli’s story.

*Two operas titled "Zenobia" were scored to Pietro Metastasio's libretto, one by Giovanni Bononcini in 1737, and another by Johann Adolph Hasse in 1761.

*The discovery of the injured and unconscious Zenobia on the riverbank is the subject of classical paintings by Bouguereau, Paul Baudry and Nicolas Poussin.

See also

* List of Armenian Kings
* Zenobia - Queen of Palmyra, often confused with Rhadamistus' wife

External links

* [http://earth-history.com/Roman/roman-tacitus-annals-book-12.htm P. Cornelius Tacitus. The Annals]
* [http://www.naxos.com/NewDesign/fintro.files/bintro.files/operas/Radamisto.htm Handel’s Radamisto]