104 HISTORT OF ARMENIA.
with hereditary right of &uccessioii» but in the event of a failure of is^ue, the offspring of his brothers should occupy the throne. In the mean time, the highest rank should be accorded to the Persian princes^ who were styled Pahlavies from the name of their birth-place Pahlt and that they should yield precedence to none in the kingdom except the king. The young princes agreed to this, and unanimity was restored . among them. From these two younger princes of Persia are descended the two illustrious families of the Pahlavies, these are the Carani Pahlavies, and the Sureni Pahlavies.
The Aspahapeti Pahlavies, not less noble than the other two, are the descendants of Cosbm the daughter of Arshavir, sister of the three princes ; the appellation Aspahapeti being de- A. D. 23. rived from the name of her husband. Mtet the settling of these affairs Abgar fell sick» being attacked by elephantiasis* and was obliged to return in haste to Edessa. At this time» AbgaT was accused by the Etnperor Tiberius of having gone to Persia fpr the purpose of ex* citing a rebellion, but he cleared himself from the charge. Another accusation started up against him from the hatred of Herod Antipas. For the purpose of vindicating his fame, he dis* patched two messengers, accompanied by his courier Ananey, a faithfiil apd diligent n)ian« to
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