[A.D. 36 (a. u. 789)]

[-26-] About the same period Artabanus the Parthian after the death of Artaxias bestowed Armenia upon his son Arsaces.  When no vengeance fell upon him from Tiberius for this move, he made an attempt upon Cappadocia and treated the Parthians, too, rather haughtily.  Consequently some revolted from him and went on an embassy to Tiberius, asking a king for themselves from among those serving as hostages.  He sent them at once Phraates, son of Phraates, and at the death of the latter (which occurred on the way) Tiridates, who was himself also of the royal race.  To insure his securing the throne as easily as possible the emperor wrote orders to Mithridates the Iberian to invade Armenia, so that Artabanus should leave home and assist his son.  Things turned out as planned, but the reign of Tiridates lasted only a short time, for Artabanus got the Scythians on his side and had no great difficulty in expelling him.  So much for the Parthian affairs.—­Armenia fell into the hands of Mithridates, son of Mithridates the Iberian, of course, and a brother of Pharasmanes, who became king of the Iberians after him.—­When Sextus Papinius became consul with Quintus Plautius, the Tiber inundated a large part of the City so that it remained under water, and a much more extensive section in the vicinity of the hippodrome and the Aventine was devastated by fire.  In view of these disasters Tiberius gave two thousand five hundred myriads to those who had suffered any loss.

[A.D. 37 (a. u. 790)]

And if Egyptian affairs also touch Roman interests at all, it might be mentioned that that year the phoenix was seen.  All these events were thought to foreshadow the death of Tiberius.  Thrasyllus died at this very time and the emperor himself in the following spring, in the consulship of Gnaeus Proculus and Pontius Nigrinus.  It chanced that Macro had plotted against Domitius and numerous others and had devised complaints and tortures against them.  Not all that were accused, however, were put to death, because Thrasyllus handled Tiberius very cleverly.  Concerning himself he stated very accurately both the day and the hour in which he should die, but he falsely declared that the emperor would live ten more years, in order that the latter, feeling he had a moderately long time to live, might be in no hurry to kill them.  The issue justified the plan.  Thinking that it would be possible for him later to do whatever he liked at his leisure, he made no haste in any way and showed no anger when the senate, in consideration of the opposition to the tortures expressed by the magistrates, postponed the sentencing of the prisoners.  Yet pitiable scenes were not wanting.  One woman wounded herself, was carried into the senate and from there to prison, where she died.  Lucius Arruntius, distinguished both for his age and for his education, destroyed himself voluntarily when Tiberius was already sick and was not thought likely to recover.  The