Is this the way to Anthemousia?

[dwkay57]

Building on past questions I've asked on the armies of the Near East in the 1st Century AD - ish period, several reference books mention that Agbar, king of Edessa, introduced Trajan to Sporakes, the phylarchos of Anthemousia.

The only geographical reference I can find is in one of Fergus Millar's maps where the "place" of Charax Sidou Anthenmusia is shown about 25miles south East of Edessa. Does this sound about right to anyone who is vaguely interested?

If so then it might imply that if I have a "Sporakes" as an ally to my "Agbar" then his men are probably more likely to be a bit more civilised, better equipped and garbed more like Parthians rather than nomadic Arabs.

The other phylarchos apparently introduce to Trajan was Mannos who ruled the "neighbouring part of Arabia" which might make any troops I might give to him as being more Arabic in dress (i.e. tunic and loin cloth).

[Duncan Head]

Have a look here - notes 3 and more particularly 4, on "The ancient evidence for the location of Anthemousia".

[dwkay57]

Thanks Duncan, that's really useful and gives me some ideas (probably wrong) about what any force Sporakes may muster to support Agbar.