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Roman–Parthian war over Armenia
Part of the Roman–Parthian Wars
Date 58–63 AD Location Armenia Territorial changes Minor gains for the Roman client states
Belligerents
Roman Empire Roman clients • Sophene • Lesser Armenia • Iberia • Commagene • Pontus	Kingdom of Armenia Parthian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo Tigranes VI of Armenia Lucius Caesennius Paetus	Tiridates I of Armenia Vologases I of Parthia

Early campaigns

The following are two passages from Sarduri II's inscriptions found at Van by Armenian archeologist Joseph Orbeli in 1912:

I went to the country of Mannai, I conquered the country, I burnt the towns, pillaged the countryside and exiled the population to Biaina. In the same year, my troops went to the country of Eriahini [or Eriach in Transcaucasia, north of Mount Ararat] conquering the country, setting fire to the towns, pillaging the countryside.

Claims of conquests such as this appear repeatedly:

The same year, for the third time, I went to Eriahini, fired the cities, pillaged the countryside and exiled the population to Biaina. I built forts at Eriahini and annexed the country. The god Khaldi I glorified. I made prisoners: 6436 men I took, 15,553 women. In all I led [away from their country] 21,989 people, some I have killed, others I have taken alive. 1613 horses, 115 camels, 16,529 head of cattle, 37,685 sheep [I have taken].

His conquest of the remainder of Commagene and Urartu's complete victory over Assyria in Mannai are proudly described in a second 500-line tablet. An inscription on the left bank of the Euphrates, between Isoglu and Kumu-han, describes Sarduri's capture and occupation of Malatya. We have a comprehensive list of Milidian kings from Menua of Urartu through Sarduri II thanks to the Urartian texts. Khila-ruada II, who must have paid tribute to Sarduri II before the year 743 BC, and king Sulumal were his contemporaries. This is also ruined, just like so many other Urartian inscriptions. It vividly depicts how king Sarduri successfully conquered Malatya, capturing 108 cities, numerous places, fortresses and villages, after making a prayer to the great god Khaldi.

Colchis campaigns

First campaign of 750–748 BC

The two invasions of Colchis by king Sarduri, which occurred in 750–748 BC and between 744–741 BC, are described in an inscription etched on the rock face near Van:

Khaldi's own chariot drove out; he descended on the land of Qulhi and on the land of Abiliande; he forced them [the countries] down before Sardur, the Argistide.

At the end of the first campaign Sarduri led the Colchian king and his people as prisoners to Biaina.

Second campaign of 744–741 BC

When Sarduri's army invaded and sacked the Colchian royal city of Ildamusha, forcing the prisoners into exile, the same pattern was followed during his second war. To commemorate his successful campaigns, he claims to have raised a distinctive iron stele. In Urartian inscriptions, iron appears to have been mentioned for the first time here.