Peace of Nisibis
| Signed | 299 AD |
|---|---|
| Location | Nisibis, Sasanian Empire |
| Signatories |
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The Peace of Nisibis of 299, also known as the First Peace of Nisibis, was a peace treaty signed in 299 by the Roman and Sassanian empires, and concluded the Roman-Sassanian War of 296-299. The border established as a result of the treaty was maintained until the Second Peace of Nisibis of 363.
Contents
Background
During the Roman-Sassanian War of 296-299, despite earlier successes in Mesopotamia, the Sassanian Shah Narseh was defeated by the Roman Caesar Galerius in Armenia in two successive battles. During the second encounter, the Battle of Satala in 298, Roman forces seized Narseh's camp, his treasury, his harem, and his wife. Galerius continued south through Sasanian territory and captured the Sasanian capital, Ctesiphon, before returning to Roman territory.
After which Narseh sued for peace and sent an ambassador, Apharban, to Galerius, however Apharban was dismissed. Despite this, Galerius told Apharban to expect a Roman envoy which would have the backing of both Galerius and the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and with whom the Sasanians could conclude a treaty with. After conferring with Diocletian at Nisibis in the spring of 299, Galerius sent his magister memoriae, Sicorius Probus, as an envoy to Narseh to present the terms of the treaty.[1]
Treaty
The terms presented by Sicorius Probus included:
- Transfer of suzerainty of the five satrapies east of the Tigris to the Roman Empire; it has been argued that this includes the satrapies of Ingilene, Sophene, Arzanene, Corduene, and Zabdicene,[2] however it has also been argued that the satrapies were instead those of Arzanene, Moxoene, Zabdicene, Rehimene, and Corduene[3]
- Recognition of the Tigris as the border between the two empires
- Armenia to become a protectorate of the Roman Empire and Armenia's border extended to the fortress of Zintha in Media
- Kingdom of Iberia to become a protectorate of the Roman Empire and Roman emperors receive right to appoint Iberian king
- Establishment of Nisibis as the only legal place of trade between the two empires
Narseh, surprised by what he felt were moderate demands, agreed to all but the fifth condition of the treaty and it was subsequently withdrawn by Sicorius Probus.
Aftermath
After the ratification of the treaty, Diocletian set about building and strengthening fortifications of the Limes Arabicus and Strata Diocletiana along the eastern border of the Roman Empire. Diocletian also increased the number of soldiers stationed along the border.
Despite this, the treaty ensured peace between the two empires for forty years until the Sasanian invasion of Roman Mesopotamia by Shapur II in the late 330s.[4][5]
References
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- ↑ "Peace of Nisibis." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 17 April 2009
- ↑ Boardman, John et al (2005), The Cambridge ancient history, pp. 494-495. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-30199-8
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