Summary:

Markus Mertaniemi, Plans for dual monarchy of Rome and Parthia in third century AD: At the historical roots of idea of “peaceful coexistence”.

This article concerns historians Herodian’s and Cassius Dio’s narratives concerning the correspondence and negotiations between Roman emperor Caracalla and Parthian king Artabanus. Some details prove that especially Herodian’s narrative is from its many details fictional. Herodian wrote that Caracalla suggested to Parthian king marriage between himself and the king’s daughter; it would have led to the dual monarchy between the two empires as Caracalla suggested. Even if it is not possible to trust to the contents of Herodian’s writing it contains with Cassius Dio exceptional idea and proposition to organize a relationship between the two empires, which had been several times at war with each other.

The main object of the study was to examine those mental impressions or images which these historical narratives contained and how they affected the relationship of these contemporary great powers. The Personal union between the empires did not come true. Herodian depicted it as Caracalla’s plot against Parthian king whereas Cassius Dio wrote that Parthian king cannot trust to Roman emperor and for that reason abandoned the proposal. This unhappy end projected those mental walls which existed between a peaceful coexistence of two empires.

Caracalla argued for the marriage and personal union with three arguments (and mental images): peace between empires, military advantages when armies would have operated together, and trade benefits. Herodian presented also reasons why it was not possible and it is important to notice those proto-racist mental images and other negative attitudes which prevented the peaceful coexistence. 1) The Romans and the barbarians have nothing in common. 2) The Romans and the barbarians do not understand each other’s languages. 3) They have different customs. 4) Finally, racial purity should not have been meddled but instead Roman emperor should find his wife among the Romans. I examined also the aftereffects of these images and attitudes in Late Antiquity and later European imagination of the Orient. It seems that there has been the same kind of mental models to understand the Orient and its relationship with the Western countries. However, Herodian’s narrative contained ambivalent prejudices, criticism toward Roman policy, and hope for a peaceful coexistence. Thus, his writing does not give support to conceptions that Western tradition of the Orient is unambiguously negative. Historical circumstances seem to have had an effect on what elements of tradition have been emphasized.