Artabanus III Keraunos

Artabanus III Keraunos
Basileus of the Alcaenian Empire
Reign	284 – 284 BC
Predecessor	Demetrius I
Successor	Philip V
Born	306 BC Mithradat-Alcaeia
Died	284 BC
Dynasty	Alcaeid
Father	Demetrius I
Mother	Stratonice

Artabanus III Keraunos commonly known by his epithet, Keraunos meaning "the thunderbolt" (306- 284 BC) was the Basileus of the Alcaenian empire (which emcompassed much of modern Mesogeia in addition to territories in Ochran). He succeeded his father Demetrius I on the Alcaenian throne in 284 BC at the instigation of his mother, despite his father's wishes to name his younger son as monarch. His reign is cited as one of the shortest in the histories of the Mesogeian Emperors, as well as the most cruel. His reign of seven months came to an end when his uncle prince Philip seized the throne. At first he was held prisoner in his chambers in the palace at Mithradat-Alcaeia; he was eventually executed on the orders of his uncle who deemed it wise to dispatch his young nephew before rebellions rose to restore him.

Early life

Artabanus grew up in the lap of luxury residing at the huge palace complex at Mithradat-Alcaeia. As was customary he was raised in the Gynaikeion among the palace women until the age of seven; after which time he joined the male world being given apartments in the Andronaion (the male or public apartments). Court chronicles report that his education began around that time. His tutors claimed that he lacked focus in his studies; sources even claim that he was unable to understand basic concepts in arithmetic and sciences. This disability (which shares similarities to modern learning disabilities) as been attributed to the rampant inbreeding practiced by his family.

Whatever the cause of his lack of motivation in regards to his education, Artabanus found passion in the athletic arena. The same sources that criticized him for his lack of academic skills turn to praising him in regards to his strength and athletic ability. He is said to have excelled at hunting, wrestling, hand-to-hand combat, and horseback riding.

Raised in the imperial palace at Mithradat-Alcaeia, Artabanus developed an egocentric personality, the intense sycophancy prevalent at the court did nothing to help the situation, Destined to reign after his father as a result of his being the eldest son he was given every advantage; the best chambers, finest foods, the most beautiful women and boys were at his disposal. All of this changed in 289 BC, when his father's favorite wife Barsine gave birth to prince Xerxes.

That same year his father declared his intentions to have the newborn succeed him in place of his eldest son. Artabanus change of position shocked him, while his mother became infuriated. Basilissa Stratonice was banished from the capital for scheming.

Demetrius I Soter suddenly died in 284 BC, ironically after paying a visit to the palace of his former wife Stratonice. It was rumored at court that he was poisoned by his former wife in order to secure her own son's succession.

Accession

Almost immediately after his father's death was announced, his mother summoned the Synedrion to the palace of Agbatana were the members acclaimed Artabanus as Basileus. Within days mother and son arrived in Mithradat-Alcaeia, the imperial capital where a grand funeral was held for the late Basileus. The magnificence of the funeral games and spectacles held in honour of the late Demetrius hid more sinister motives for the celebrations. Before their arrival in the capital Stratonice ordered the execution of Basilissa Barsine and her young son Xerxes. The former Basilissa was drowned in her bath while her young son was strangled in the palace nursery with a silk cord (the traditional execution style for members of the imperial family). As for the supporters of Basilissa Barsine, they were brutally rounded up and executed on charges of treason.

Hundreds of courtiers were executed or done away with at the instigation of Stratonice and her faction; the only one escaping such treatment was Barsine the younger, the daughter of Demetrius and Barsine the elder. The cruelty by which Stratonice and Artabanus began their rule was to play a part in their eventual downfall.

Artabanus reign was not yet secure for his mother to arrange a coronation at Farsargadai as was tradition; instead he was enthroned alongside her in the palace at Mithradat-Alcaeia. Almost immediately the imperial mints began minting coins depicting mother and son crowned with the diadem and seated together on the Celestial throne.

Reign

During his short reign, Artabanus allowed his mother the Basilometor Statonice to exercise royal power while he devoted much of his time to pleasure. Stratonice ruled the empire poorly and as a result her son was blamed for it. Her cruelty and the supposed murders of her rivals is credited for alienating the court and the general populace. Rebellions and plots to place alternative heirs on the throne soon sprung up. Many of them centered around the Princess Barsine the younger, Demetrius' sole child

In the spring of 284 BC, armies rose in Pharosia to place Artabanus' uncle Mithridates on the throne. Prince Mithridates marched up the Marmarinos river to the city of Diospolis with an army of 45,000 men, reportedly the holiest site in all of Mesogeia. An imperial army composed of 65,00 men under the command of Basileus Artabanus and his newly appointed general PLACEHOLDER met them at the gates of the holy city.

The smaller army routed the larger and disorganized imperial army forcing them to flee back to the capital. While the battle at the gates of Theonopolis was a major victory for those opposed to the rule of Artabanus and his power hungry mother it should be noted that Mithridates the intended heir was killed in battle dying at the hands of his nephew.

Artabanus and his mother spent the remainder of that spring preparing the capital for an assault. When it reported that an army led by Artabanus' other uncle prince Philip had crossed the border into the province of Khvarvaran the Basileus dispatched an army of 70,000 men to meet them at the border of Khvarvaran and Isauris. Once more the imperial army was crushed by the smaller more well trained rebellious army now at the command of Artabanus' uncles prince Philip and prince Antiochus. After the battle the field was littered with so many dead bodies that the area and district as been known as [INSERT MOBID NAME] (or the house of bones) ever since.

Disposition and death

Within weeks the army of prince Philip had arrived at Mithradat-Alcaeia. With the threat of the city's destruction, Artabanus opened the gates of the city to his uncle. After a reign of just seven months Artabanus was deposed, when the Synedrion acclaimed Philip as Basileus and announced their rejection of Artabanus and his mother. He was confined to his apartments in the imperial palace under heavy guard. By all accounts Philip showed no ill will towards his nephew allowing him to live as if he were still emperor.

A few months after Philip was firmly established on the throne Artabanus was "dispatched from the earth" as the court chroniclers put it. It is believed that Philip ordered the execution at the instigation his advisors so as to secure his rule. The young man was strangled by his own lover, an incredibly strong man with herculean strength while he was distracted by one of his concubines. Other sources claim he was strangled by the very vail that covered his mother's face. In any case Artabanus was done away with, as was his mother in the most brutal way imaginable. It was said that the Basilometor was hacked to pieces

Legacy

It should be noted that Artabanus was later defied as a god and was buried at the imperial necropolis at Chousa with all the pomp and splendor befitting an Emperor. While his mother is the only Basilissa of that time period that was denied the traditional embalming (instead she was hastily cremated and placed in one of the lesser vaults of the imperial mausoleum) nor deified after her death as a god. It should also be noted that the history of Stratonice and her son as only recently been discovered as a result of her name being erased from nearly every monument in the empire. Officially all records of her rule were removed from the court chronicles, only to be re-added in the modern age. There are even some chronicles that omit Artabanus and Apama altogether and place Philip's reign at the death of his brother Demetrius. It is a testament to Mesogeian archeologists that they managed to find coins and traces of the rule of Artabanus and his mother. Coins bearing the names of Artabanus and Apama were discovered near Gazaka in 1922.