Osrhoene
Osrhoene was a historical region in northwestern Mesopotamia, located primarily in what is now southeastern Turkey, with some territory extending into northeastern Syria. Its boundaries were defined by the Euphrates River to the west and Mount Masius to the north. The name Osrhoene is derived from Urha, the Syriac designation for its capital, Edessa, which may have roots connected to the name of an Iranian figure, Orhai (Osroes). Established around 130 BC, Osrhoene emerged as an autonomous entity following a break from the Seleucid Empire.
The population of Osrhoene was predominantly Aramaic, with influences from Greek and Parthian cultures, and its leadership over time included Arab rulers. This kingdom played a significant role as a buffer state between the powerful Roman and Parthian empires, often claimed by both as a dependency. Key historical events include the betrayal of Roman general Crassus by Abgar II to the Parthians in 53 BC and the establishment of Roman clients in Osrhoene during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian in the early second century AD. The region's complex political dynamics and cultural interactions make it a significant area of study in the context of ancient Mesopotamian history.
Osrhoene
A territory or country of northwestern Mesopotamia (now in southeastern Turkey, but at its widest extension also including parts of northeastern Syria), bounded on the west by the river Euphrates and on the north by Mount Masius, and commanding two major routes from western to central Asia
Osrhoene (called Orrhoene by Pliny the Elder) took its name from Urha, the Syriac name for Edessa (now Urfa) its capital, which in turn may be derived from the name of Orhai (Osroes), an Iranian who more or less openly broke away from the Seleucid empire and founded an autonomous state in c 130 BC. The population of Osrhoene was mainly Aramaic, with Greek and Parthian (Iranian) components; its later rulers were generally Arabs. Their kingdom played a prominent part as a buffer between the Roman and Parthian empires, and was claimed as a dependency by both. In 53 BC Abgar (Ariaramnes) II betrayed Crassus to the Parthians, but in AD 116 and 123 Roman clients came into power, under the protection of Trajan and Hadrian respectively: though Hadrian had evacuated Trajan's short-lived Roman province of Mesopotamia, to which Osrhoene must have been loosely attached.