Roman Province of Armenia occupied some parts of today’s Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Turkey. Armenia province, located next to Parthian Empire and the Sasanian Empire, was commonly a conflict zone. Capital city of the Roman Armenia was Artashat.
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The Roman province of Armenia was created by Emperor Trajan in 114 AD, after Parthia put a king of its own choice on the throne of Armenia. It lay east of the Euphrates, in the high plateau country, and its capital was Artaxata. Hadrian gave it up in 118 AD.
| Created | 114 AD, by Emperor Trajan |
|---|---|
| Given up | 118 AD, under Emperor Hadrian |
| Rival | The Parthian Empire |
| Trajan’s base | Satala, today’s village of Sadak in Gümüşhane Province |
Emperor Trajan was the creator of this province but to tell the truth the lifespan of the province was really short. Armenia province existed in between 114–118. Emperor Hadrian decided to abolish the Armenian province and turning it into a Roman client state.
Roman Province of Armenia and the Parthian Wars
Trajan went to war with Parthia in 113 AD. In 114 he marched into Armenia, removed the king and made the land a province. A year later he overran northern Mesopotamia too, and in 116 his army took the Parthian capital Ctesiphon.
His army marched north from Antioch to Satala, a legion camp on the frontier. Satala is now the village of Sadak in Gümüşhane Province, where some ruined walls of the camp can still be traced and a row of tall arches stands a little way off.
Farther east the land rises into high plateau around Erzurum, and Mount Ararat stands over the town of Doğubayazıt near the far eastern edge of Turkey. It is cold, wide country, and I can see why Rome found it hard to hold. You can read more in my post on Mount Ararat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Hadrian give up the province of Armenia?
It is believed that such distant lands were too costly to hold. Revolts had already broken out behind Trajan’s army, so Hadrian pulled back in 118 AD and left a king of Rome’s choice on the throne.
Who won the Roman-Parthian war?
Neither side clearly won. Trajan took Ctesiphon in 116, but he could not hold his conquests, and Hadrian gave them up. Later emperors, such as Septimius Severus, marched east against Parthia again.
