Marcus Aurelius 161-180 AD

As co-ruler (and later sole ruler) alongside Lucius Verus, Marcus Aurelius presided over the conclusion of the Roman-Parthian War and the stabilization of Armenia. During the war (161–166 AD), Marcus, though preoccupied with troubles on the Danubian frontier, supported Verus’ efforts to reclaim Armenia. By 166 AD the conflict ended in a clear Roman victory: the Parthians were expelled from Armenia and a Roman client king was securely installed (Sohaemus in 164). Marcus Aurelius celebrated these victories – he and Verus both assumed the honorific Armeniacus, advertising their success. The peace treaty reaffirmed the old arrangement: Armenia remained independent but firmly under Rome’s influence.

In the war’s aftermath, Marcus Aurelius ensured Armenia’s loyalty through continued diplomacy and military presence. He left Roman legions positioned in nearby Cappadocia and Syria as a deterrent against further Parthian incursions. These precautions worked: for the rest of Marcus’ reign, Armenia did not revolt or accept any anti-Roman pretender. On the contrary, sources suggest Armenia became a stable ally. When Marcus turned his attention to the Marcomannic invasions in the 170s, the eastern frontier – including Armenia – stayed peaceful. This allowed Marcus to divert legionaries from the East to fight in Europe, something he could do only because Armenia was secure.

The loyalty of Armenia is evidenced a generation later, when Armenian forces actually joined Roman armies in campaigns (e.g. Armenian cavalry fighting alongside Rome against Parthia in 197 under Severus). Marcus Aurelius also had to deal indirectly with Eastern intrigues: in 175 AD the Roman general Avidius Cassius rebelled in Syria, and one reason he could not gain widespread Eastern support was that client kings like Armenia’s stayed faithful to Marcus. No Armenian uprising occurred in favor of the usurper.