Eastern Campaigns and Political Consequences Of The Roman Emperor Traianus

Year 2024, Volume: 21 Issue: 1, 240 - 251, 30.04.2024

Alaaddin Kalaycı

Abstract

Rome wanted to advance to the Near East and Arab geography by establishing superiority over the Seleucids, its biggest rival in Asia Minor, but had to struggle in Mesopotamia with the Parthians, a great power in the region like itself. The struggle for dominance in the Near East, which would last for many years, was replaced by a diplomatic crisis during the reign of Emperor Traianus, which started with the problem of the appointment of the king of Armenia. The Roman - Parthian tension was actually a reason for Rome to expand its borders in the Near East and Arab geography, to move towards the Far East and to gain economically. The fact that the Roman Emperor Traianus wanted to go as far as India like Alexander the Great, and that he had a warlike, ruthless character structure is an indication of how bloody the wars to be fought would be. In addition, the silent invasion of the Nabataean Kingdom in the Arab geography strengthened Rome commercially and economically. This study aims to give information about the eastern campaigns of the Roman Emperor Traianus and to explain the reflection of the results of these campaigns on Roman politics.

Keywords

Rome, Emperor Trajan, Parth, Mesopotamia, Near East.

Roma İmparatoru Traianus’un Doğu Seferleri ve Siyasi Sonuçları

Abstract

Roma, Küçük Asya coğrafyasında en büyük rakibi olan Seleukoslara karşı üstünlük kurarak, Yakın Doğu ve Arap coğrafyasına ilerlemek istemiş fakat bölgede kendisi gibi büyük güç olan Parth’lar ile Mezopotamya’da mücadele etmek zorunda kalmıştır. Yakın Doğuda uzun yıllar sürecek olan hâkimiyet mücadelesi, İmparator Traianus döneminde, Armenia kralının atanma sorunu ile başlayan diplomatik kriz yerini savaşa bırakmıştır. Roma – Parth gerilimi aslında Yakın Doğu ve Arap coğrafyasında sınırlarını genişleterek Uzak Doğu’ya doğru ilerlemek, ekonomik olarak kazanım sağlamak nedenleriyle, Roma için bir sebep olmuştur. Roma İmparatoru Traianus’un Büyük İskender gibi Hindistan’a kadar gitmek istemesi, savaşçı, acımasız bir karakter yapısına sahip olması; yaşanacak olan savaşların ne kadar kanlı olacağının bir göstergesidir. Ayrıca Arap coğrafyasında bulunan Nebati Krallığı’nın sessizce istila edilmesi, ticari ve ekonomik olarak Roma’yı güçlendirmiştir. Bu çalışma, Roma İmparatoru Traianus’un yapmış olduğu doğu seferleri hakkında bilgi vererek, bu seferlerin sonuçlarının Roma siyasetine yansımasını açıklamayı amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

Roma, İmparator Traianus, Parth, Mezopotamya, Yakın Doğu

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