mediately caused his death. This must have occurred in 124/23.[1]
In the meantime Seleucia and the other cities of Mesopotamia had become dissatisfied with the rule of Himerus, the viceregent appointed by Phraates II in the year 129 b.c. Among other crimes he is charged with selling numerous Babylonians into Media as slaves.[2] Besides these internal troubles Himerus was soon face to face with a new power to the south, a new state arising in the territory once occupied by the old Seleucid province of the Erythrean Sea created by Antiochus III before Molon's revolt.[3] Shortly after 129 B.C. the ancient city of Alexandria-Antioch near the head of the Persian Gulf was refounded as Charax Spasinu by the Arab Hyspaosines, son of Sagdodonacus.[4] Under the leadership of Hyspaosines the surrounding country was rapidly conquered, and thus was founded the kingdom of Characene. Not long after Himerus was appointed governor of Babylonia he engaged in a war with this king but was defeated.[5] By 127 b.c. Hyspaosines was in
- ↑ Justin xlii. 2. 2; McDowell, Coins from Seleucia, p. 183. The "Victory" coins of 124/23 were probably struck at Seleucia by Himerus at the order of Artabanus.
- ↑ Diod. Sic. xxxiv. 21. Posidonius Hist. xvi. fr. 13 (J, II A, p. 228) in Athen. Deip. xi. 466 records a banquet given by Lysimachus of Babylon for Himerus and 300 Seleucians (the Senate?).
- ↑ Polyb. v. 46.
- ↑ On Charax see PW, arts. "Mesene" and "Alexandreia," No. 13.
- ↑ Trog. Pomp. xlii mentions a war with Mesene, a part of Characene.
