Page 28 - Edessa, 'The Blessed City'-01, by J. B. Segal (Oxford, 1970). Chapters 1-3

SOCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE 15
Abgar reigned for twenty-six years until 240 ;J he can have been king only in
name and without effective powers.
Coins of Edessa demonstrate that between 214 and 235, under Caracalla,
Macrinus, Elagabalus, and Alexander Severus the city was a colonia; from the
time of Alexander Severus and until 242 it was, like Batnae, a metropolis.
Ma'nu seems to have been succeeded by an Abgar2 who, according to
numismatic evidence, must have accepted, at any rate nominally, the suzer-
ainty of Emperor Gordian III. But the capture of Nisibis and Harran by the
Persian Shahpuhr I, and his advance deep into Syria brought Gordian to
Mesopotamia. The Romans recovered Harran and Nisibis; a victory at
Resaina led to the restoration of the colania of Edessa. In May 243 the city
was administered by a Roman Resident and two strategoi, and that may have
been already the second year of this form of government. King Abgar seems
to have withdrawn to Rome with his wife. The monarchy had come to an end
after about 375 years.3

The kingdom of Edessa had been established when the Seleucids with-
drew to the west of the Euphrates, abandoning Mesopotamia to the Parthians;
it came to an end when Rome imposed her direct rule on the eastern pro-
vinces. It could maintain itself under the disinterested suzerainty of Parthia
or when Rome was content with exercising only an indirect hegemony. It
could not survive open conflict with a major power. Nevertheless, that the
dynasty of Edessa should have lasted 375 years is a remarkable record in a
region so exposed to discord and violence at so restless a period of history.
The kings who performed this feat of supple statecraft merit our attention.
With the discovery, in the last eighty years and notably in the last two
decades, of inscriptions and other monuments at Urfa, we are now in a
position to assess the pattern of life at Edessa under the monarchy.

1 Ma'nu IX A.D. 214-40. bar Abgar, 68-53; interregnum, 53-52; Ma'nu
2 Abgar X, Frahad, A.D. 240-2. II, 52-34; Paqor, 34-29; Abgar III, 29-26;
3 See p. 30 n. 3 below on the Latin inscription Abgar IV, Sumaqa, 26—23; Ma'nu III, Saph-
at Rome, erected probably by Abgar X. It may lul, 23-4; Abgar V, Ukkama bar Ma'nu, 4 B.C.-
be significant that under Abgar X, from, that is, A.D. 7; Ma'nu IV, bar Ma'nu, 7-13; Abgar V
240-2, Edessa seems to have had a monopoly (second time), 13-50; Ma'nu V, bar Abgar,
of minting bronze coins in northern Meso- 50-7; Ma'nu VI, bar Abgar, 57-71; Abgar VI,
potamia. After 342, this duty and privilege was bar Ma'nu, 71-91; interregnum, 91-109;
divided between Edessa, Harran, Nisibis, and Abgar VII, bar Ezad (Izates), 109-16; inter-
Singara. The list of the kings of the dynasty of regnum, 116—18; Yalur (or Yalud) and Partha-
Edessa may be reconstructed as follows (the maspat, 118-22; Parthamaspat, alone, 122-3;
early names and dates should, however, be Ma'nu VII, bar Ezad, 123-39; Ma'nu VIII,
regarded with caution): Aryu, 132-127 B.C.; bar Ma'nu, 139-63; Wa'el bar Sahru, 163-5;
'Abdu bar Maz'ur, 127-120; Fradhasht bar Ma'nu VIII (second time), 165-77; Abgar
Gebar'u, 120-115; Bakru I, bar Fradhasht, VIII, the Great bar Ma'nu, 177-212; Abgar
115-112; Bakru II, bar Bakru, alone, 112-94; IX, Severus bar Abgar, 212-14; Ma'nu IX,
Bakru 11 and Ma'nu 1,94; Bakru 11 and Abgar I, bar Abgar, 214-40; Abgar X, Frahad bar
Piqa, 94-93; Abgar I, alone. 92-68; Abgar II, Ma'nu, 240-2.

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