After a relatively long period of war and peace a new war was started in AD 113 . between Rome and Persia, the main purpose of which was once again the political alliance of Armenia. The war was largely due to the active policy of the new Roman emperor, Trajanus (Marcus Ulpius). The Armenian king took the Persian side in that conflict. The Roman army was initially defeated, but resumed the offensive under the command of the emperor Trajanus himself and he was able to first conquer Armenia and then Mesopotamia.
According to his new policy, which was to rid himself of his allies, he annexed Armenia to the Roman Empire and transformed the country into a province, the governor of which was appointed by Rome (114 A.D.) 52 He took away the throne from the Armenian king Phartamasiris and gave him the freedom to go whereever he wanted and since Phartamasiris insisted on staying in Armenia and regaining his rights, Trajanus issued an order for his execution. Trajanus has immortalised his great victory over Armenia in a sculpture which shows him and the Roman army together with the defeated Armenian king. A specimen of this sculpture is in the triumphal arch of the Emperor Constantine in Rome.
But Armenia remained only three years as a province of the Roman Empire. In 117 A.D. the independence of Armenia was reinstated by the emperor Hadrian, nephew and successor to Trajanus, who once more called Armenia his ally, but reserved the right to let a Roman garrison to stay in Armenia. 54 We know that on the other side of the Roman Empire, in Darcia (presentday Transylvania and Romania) the policies of Trajanus, ended in great tragedy and cost Rome dear. In Darcia Trajanus eliminated a people, who were primitive but great warriors. These could have later been the natural shield against the barbarians who attacked the Roman Empire from the north and conquered Rome.
During the reign of the Emperor Hadrianus in Rome Armenia experienced, under the command of king Vologuéses, a peaceful time. Even during the rule of emperor Antonin the Holy, who succeeded Hadrianus and was one of Rome's greatest rulers, not only Armenia but the entire Roman Empire enjoyed a time of peace.. (AD 138-161). The Persian king Belash III planned to attack Armenia, which then was ruled by king Sohemus, but emperor Antonin the Holy intervened and stopped him. 56 Renan recounted the following about him: "He was the most complete emperor that the world had ever seen. To mention his personal qualities is to enumerate everything that is good in an honest human being. During the 23 years of his reign the world was not only under the rule of an emperor, but also under the protection of a father." 57
But after this ideal emperor's death in 161 the flames of war between Rome and Persia were ignited once again, and yet again on Armenian soil.
Mommsen compared the Roman rule over Armenia with the German rule over Italy during the Middle Ages. This rule, even if it was in appearance alone, utterly irritated many Armenians and Persians, something that resulted in the many wars and bloodbaths. 58
Once more the Persians, with assistance from the Armenians and after defeating the Romans at Elegeia (present-day Erzurum)were able to retake Armenia. But now the Romans moved their legions, which were stationed in Rhin, to Armenia in order to replace the legions in the east who had failed in their mission. Priscus managed to re-conquer Armenia in 163 and take the capital of Artaxata and put it to ruin. The Armenians built another city in the vicinity of the ruins of Artaxata and named it Vagharshapat, which is the present-day Etchmiadzin in Armenia.
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