Musa of Parthia

Musa ( Josephus called Thermusa ) was a Parthian queen. She was first the wife of Phraates IV and later the Phraatakes.

In the year 20 BC, the Romans gave a son of Phraates IV to the ruler back, who had been held hostage. The Parthians provided in return of them conquered ensigns and prisoners to the Romans out. In the wake of the son now was also a slave, just this Musa. Musa became the court of Phraates IV the status of a lover and gave birth to a son the ruler: Phraatakes, after which it was collected IV to wife of Phraates.

In the year 10 BC, they could persuade the king to send his four oldest sons to be educated in Rome. In the year 2 BC, they poisoned her husband and put her own son Phraatakes on the Parthian throne. In year 2, she married this even and appears henceforth with him on his coins. In 4, both disappear from the political scene. According to Josephus, both have been killed because of her marriage.

Musa is known almost exclusively by the Roman historiography that the Parthians - draw in a negative light - as the main enemies.

Ancient sources

• Josephus: Jewish Antiquities, XVIII, 2, 4