Gens:

KINGDOM OF CHARACENE

Created:

29th October 2021

Update:

29th October 2021

Notes:

Characene is in southern Mesopotamia at the head of the Persian golf near the mouth of the Tigris river. Capital Spasinou Charax

Nearly all dates are based on coinage. Most family relations are just guesswork marked with two questionmarks. Dates are from Schuol.

Characene is known as Mesene, where under the Sasanians several royal princes were kings (shahs) of Mesene.

Literature

Eder, Walter and Renger, Johannes: "Brill's Chronologies of the Ancient World , New Pauly Names, Dates and Dynasties", New Pauly Supplement I,Leiden, 2007, p.124-125

(baed on Schuol but also gives the indigenous names)

Honsman, John: "Charax And The Karkheh", in Iranica antiqua 7, 1967, p.21-27 (early Characene)

Nodelman, Sheldon Arthur: "A Preliminary History of Characene" in Berytus 13, 1960 p.83-121 (NOT AVAILABLE TO ME)

(suggests Hyspaosines broke with the Seleucids 141/139, but in general his work is now obsolete)

Potts, D.T.: "Arabia and the Kingdom of Characene", in Araby the Blest Copenhagen, 1988, p.137-167 (especially dealing with king Meredat)

Schuol, Monika: "Die Charakene, Ein mesopotamisches Konigreich in hellenistisch-partischer Zeit", Stuttgart, 2000, p.217-240, 291-378, and 465-466 (king list)

Sullivan, Richard D.: "Near Eastern Royalty and Rome 100-30 BC", University of Toronto Press 1990, section on Osrhoene p.109-110 and 376

Changes

2021.10.29 initial version

Sagdodonakos

Bactrian name

RE1

Hyspaosines (Spaosines)

appointed satrap/eparch of the Erythaean Sea under the Seleucids c.165/6

1st king of Characene 128/7-124 BC

† aged 85 in 124

~ Talasi'anu, mother of heir

Apodakos

king of Characene 124-104/3

a minor in 124

Parthian vassal c.123/2

first coins from 110/9-104/3

RE1

Tiraios I

king of Characene 95/4-90/89

only known from coins

RE2

brother/cousin

RE4

Tiraios II

Artabazos I

king of Characene 79/8-49/8

king of Characene 90/89-79/78 ?

† aged 92

king of Characene 49/8-c.48/7

aged 86 in 49/48

Attambelos I

king of Characene from 47/6-25/4

Theonesios I

king of Characene 25/4-19/18 BC

Attambelos II

king of Characene 17/6 BC-8/9 AD

RE1

Abinergaos I

Orabazes I

king of Characene from c.10/11-13/14 AD

king of Characene from c. 18/9 AD-22/3 AD

king of Characene from c.22/23 AD

no coins

Attambelos III

king of Characene 37/8-44/5

Theonesios II

king of Characene from c.46/7

only known from one coin

Theonesios III

king of Characene from c.52/3

only known from one coin

Attambelos IV

king of Characene 54/5-64/5

P32 RE3

O156 RE2

Attambelos V

Pakoros II

Osroes I

king of Characene c.64/5-73/4

king of Characene from c.80/1-101/2

king of Characene c.116/7-127/8

coin from 72/3

1. Parthian Interregnum

2. Parthian Interregnum

king of kings of Parthia 77/78-110

King of Kings W. Parthia 108/9-127/8

V942

RE2

not in RE

Attambelos VI

Vologases III

Meredat

king of Characene from 101/2-105/6

king of Characene c.127/8-130/1

king of Characene from c.130/1-150/1

2. Parthian Interregnum

attested 131 and on coin 143/4

King of Parthia 105-147/8

expelled by Vologaises IV of Parthia

Theonesios IV

king of Characene 110/1-112/3

A1329

Attambelos VII

king of Characene from c.113/4-116/7

submitted to Trajan 116

Orabazes II

king of Characene 150/1-165

installed by Vologaises IV

family unknown

Abinergaos II

king of Characene c.165-180

probably from old native dynasty

180 very uncertain

Attambelos VIII

king of Characene from c.180-195

dating very uncertain

Maga ?

king of Characene c.195-210

son of Attambelos VIII

dating very uncertain

Abinergaos III ?

king of Characene c.210-222

Sasanids conquer Characene 222

no coins known