Abstract
The paper deals with the information of sources about sending by Parthian king Phraates IV of his sons to Rome at the end of the 1st century BC. It focuses on two issues related to the event. Firstly, as to Phraates’ motives, the ancient authors offer different explanations: the desire to cement friendship with Rome (in this way Augustus outlined his version of this case) or the threat from the heirs and desire to protect himself from this possible danger. The latter interpretation seems more convincing, because it is confi rmed by Strabo, Josephus and Tacitus, whose evidences are more reliable and less subjective than Augustus’ self-laudation and information of late authors (Suetonius, Justin, Orosius). Secondly, the status of the Parthian princes is defi ned in most sources as “hostages” and that can be considered with the widespread view of this concept in practice of Roman foreign policy. According to the author, the available sources of data suggest that Phraates send heirs away by his own will to resolve inner problems in selfdefense. Augustus used Parthian princes for his own reason and explained Phraates’ intention as desire to secure friendship with the Emperor. Thereby, this historical episode is signifi cant as an example of various perceptions of the same event by different sides: the fact, assessing by Parthian king as strengthening of his regime, was presented by Augustus as a symbol of Parthian recognition of Rome’s superiority.
Keywords
Emperor Augustus, Phraates IV, Roman-Parthian relations
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