List of Parthian kings

Below is a list of rulers of the Iranian Parthian Empire (247 BC – 228 AD).

For more comprehensive lists of kings and sub-kings of this Era see:

• List of rulers of Parthian sub-kingdoms

Throne Name		Original Name	Portrait	Titles	Born-Died	Entered office	Left office	Family Relations	Note
Arsacid dynasty, 247 BC–228 AD
1	Arsaces I	Tiridates I or Arsaces		King, Karen, Autokrator	? – 211 BC	247 BC	211 BC	A descendant of Arsaces son of Phriapatius who was probably son of Artaxerxes II
2	Arsaces II	Arsaces			? – 185 BC	211 BC	185 BC[1]	Son of Arsaces I
3	Arsaces III	Phriapatius			? – 170 BC	185 BC	170 BC[2]	Grandson of Tiridates I
4	Arsaces IV				? – 168 BC	170 BC	168 BC[3]	Great-grandson of Arsaces I
5	Arsaces V	Phraates I			? – 165 BC	168 BC	165 BC[4]	Son of Phriapatius
6	Arsaces VI	Mithridates I		The Great King, Theos, Theopator, Philhellen	? – 132 BC	165 BC[5]	132 BC[6]	Son of Phriapatius
7	Arsaces VII	Phraates II		The Great King, Philopator, Theopator, Nikephoros	? – 126 BC	132 BC	126 BC[7]	Son of Mithridates I	Killed in battle with Scythians
8	Arsaces VIII	Bacasis (Bagasis)			? – 126 BC	126 BC	126 BC[8]	Son of Phriapatius
9	Arsaces IX	Artabanus I		King	? – 122 BC	126 BC	122 BC[9]	Son of Phriapatius	Killed in battle with Tocharians
10	Arsaces X			? – 121 BC	122 BC	121 BC[10]	Son of Artabanus I
11	Arsaces XI	Mithridates II		The Great King, The Great King of Kings, Epiphanes, Soter	? – 91 BC	121 BC[11]	91 BC	Son of Phriapatius[12]
12	Arsaces XII	Sanatruces I, first reign as a usurper[13]			157–70 BC	93/92 BC	88/87 BC	Son of Mithridates I[14]
13	Arsaces XIII	Gotarzes I		The Great King, Epiphanes, Philhellen, Euergetes, Autokrator	? – 87 BC	91 BC	87 BC	Son of Mithridates II
14	Arsaces XIV	Mithridates (III)[15]		The Great King, The Great King of Kings, Dikaios, Euergetes, Philhellen, Autokrator, Philopator, Epiphanes	? – 67 BC	87 BC	67 BC	Son of Mithridates II
15	Arsaces XV	Orodes I		The Great King, Euergetes, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 75 BC	80 BC	75 BC	Son of Mithridates II
12	Arsaces XII	Sanatruces I, second reign[16]		The Great King, Theopator, Euergetes, Epiphanes, Philhellen	157–70 BC	77 BC	70 BC	Son of Vologases (I)[17]
16	Arsaces XVI[18]	?		The Great King, Theopator, Euergetes, Epiphanes, Philhellen, Eusebes	? – 66 BC	77 BC	66 BC	?
17	Arsaces XVII	Phraates III		The Great King, Theos, Euergetes, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 57 BC	70 BC	57 BC	Son of Sanatruces I	Killed by Orodes II
18	Arsaces XVIII[19]	?		The Great King, Philopator, Euergetes, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 63 BC	66 BC	63 BC	Son of Arsaces XVI
19	Arsaces XIX	Mithridates III (or IV)		The Great King, The Great King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Theos, Eupator, Theopator, Philhellen	? – 54 BC	65 BC[20]	54 BC	Son of Phraates III	Killed by Orodes II
20	Arsaces XX	Orodes II		King of Kings, Philopator, Eupator, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen, Ktistes	? – 38 BC	57 BC	38 BC	Son of Phraates III	Killed by Phraates IV
21	Arsaces XXI	Pacorus I		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 38 BC	50 BC	38 BC	Son of Orodes II	Killed in battle with Romans
22	Arsaces XXII	Phraates IV		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 2 BC	38	2 BC	Son of Orodes II	Killed by Musa
23	Arsaces XXIII	Tiridates II		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen, Autokrator, Philorhomaios	? – after 23 BC	30 BC	25 BC	Probably a descendant of Mithridates (III)	Deposed and went to Rome
24	Arsaces XXIV	Mithridates (V)[21]		?	? – ? BC	12 BC	9 BC	Probably a descendant of Mithridates (III)
	Musa	Musa		Queen of Queens, Thea, Urania	? – 4? AD	2 BC	4 AD	Queen of Phraates IV
25	Arsaces XXV	Phraates V		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 4 AD	2 BC	4 AD	Son of Phraates IV & Musa	Deposed and went to Rome
26	Arsaces XXVI	Orodes III		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 6	4	6	Probably a descendant of Mithridates (III)	Killed by Parthian aristocrats
27	Arsaces XXVII	Vonones I		The Great King, King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen, Nikephoros	? – 19	8	12	Son of Phraates IV	Deposed and went to Rome. Later, He was killed by Romans.
28	Arsaces XXVIII	Artabanus III	Coin of Artabanus III from the mint at Ecbatana. The reverse shows a throned archer with a bow. The Greek inscription reads ΒΑϹΙΛΕΩϹ ΒΑϹΙΛΕΩΝ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ΑΡϹΑΚΟΥ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥϹ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟϹ (king of kings Arsaces, the benefactor, the just, the illustrious, friend of the Greeks).	King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 40	10	40	Probably a descendant of Mithridates (III)
29	Arsaces XXIX	Tiridates III		?	? – ?	35	36	Probably a descendant of Tiridates II	Deposed and went to Rome
30	Arsaces XXX	Cinnamus		?	? – ?	37	37	Son of Artabanus III	Abdicated
31	Arsaces XXXI	Gotarzes II		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	11 – 51	40 –	51	Son of Artabanus III
32	Arsaces XXXII	Vardanes I		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 46	40	46	Son of Artabanus III	Killed by Gotarzes II
33	Arsaces XXXIII	Vonones II		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 51	c. 45	51
34	Arsaces XXXIV	Mithridates (VI)[22]		?	? – ?	49	50	Son of Vonones I	Deposed and mutilated by Gotarzes II
35	Arsaces XXXV	Vologases I (or II)		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen, The Lord	? – 77	51	77	Son of Vonones II
36	Arsaces XXXVI	Vardanes II		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – ?	55	58	Son of Vologases I (or II)	Deposed
37	Arsaces XXXVII	Vologases II (or III)		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – ?	77	89/90	Probably son of Vologases I (or II)
38	Arsaces XXXVIII	Pacorus II		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 115	77	115	Probably son of Vologases I (or II)
39	Arsaces XXXIX	Artabanus IV		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – ?	80	81	Probably son of Vologases I (or II)
40	Arsaces XL	Osroes I		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 130	89/90	130	Probably son of Vologases II (or III)
41	Arsaces XLI	Vologases III (or IV)		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 148	105	148	?
42	Arsaces XLII	Mithridates IV (or VII)		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – c. 145	115	c. 145	Brother of Osroes I	Killed in battle with Romans
43	Arsaces XLIII	Parthamaspates		King of Kings, Euergetes, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – after 123	116	117	Son of Osroes I	Deposed and went to Rome
44	Arsaces XLIV[23]	Sanatruces II		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – c. 145	c. 145	c. 145	son of Mithridates IV (or VII)	Killed in battle with Romans
45	Arsaces XLV	Vologases IV (or V)		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 191	148	191	Son of Mithridates IV (or VII)
46	Arsaces XLVI	Vologases V (or VI)		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 208	191	208	Son of Vologases IV (or V)
47	Arsaces XLVII	Osroes II		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – ?	c. 190	c. 195	Probably son of Vologases IV (or V)
48	Arsaces XLVIII	Vologases VI (or VII)		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	181–228	208	228	Son of Vologases V (or VI)	Killed by Ardashir I
49	Arsaces XLIX	Artabanus V		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – 226	213	226	Son of Vologases V (or VI)	Killed by Ardashir I
50	Arsaces L	Tiridates IV[24]		King of Kings, Dikaios, Epiphanes, Philhellen	? – ?	217	222	Son of Vologases IV (or V)	He was also king of Armenia

There are some old chronologies that differ from the above list. Two of them are preseneted below:

Chronological Table of the Arsacid Kings of Parthia[25]
New Chronology		Old Chronology
247 BC	Arsacid era begins; Andragoras autonomous as satrap	c. 250 BC	Arsaces I of Parthia
246 BC	Arsaces I of Parthia leads revolt in Parthia	c. 248 BC	Tiridates I of Parthia
238 BC	Arsaces I of Parthia in control of Parthia
217 or 214 BC	Arsaces II of Parthia	211 BC	Artabanus I
c. 191 BC	Phriapatius of Parthia	c. 191 BC	Phriapatius of Parthia
c. 176 BC	Phraates I of Parthia	c. 176 BC	Phraates I of Parthia
c. 171 BC	Mithridates I of Parthia	c. 171 BC	Mithridates I of Parthia
c. 139/138 BC	Phraates II of Parthia	c. 138/137 BC	Phraates II of Parthia
c. 127 BC	Artabanus I of Parthia	c. 128 BC	Artabanus II of Parthia
c. 124/123 BC	Mithridates II of Parthia	c. 123 BC	Mithridates II of Parthia
c. 90 BC	Gotarzes I of Parthia; Orodes I of Parthia	c. 91 BC	Gotarzes I of Parthia
		c. 80 BC	Orodes I of Parthia
78/77 BC	Sanatruces of Parthia	76/77 BC	Sanatruces of Parthia
71/70 BC	Phraates III of Parthia	58/57 BC	Mithridates III of Parthia
58/57 BC	Orodes II of Parthia	c. 57 BC	Orodes II of Parthia
before 53 BC	Mithridates III of Parthia (struck coins at Seleucia)
c. 40 BC	Phraates IV of Parthia	c. 40 BC	Phraates IV of Parthia
c. 39 BC	Death of Pacorus I of Parthia	38 BC	Death of Pacorus I of Parthia
32–30 BC	Invasion by Tiridates I	30–25 BC	Tiridates II of Parthia
27/26 BC	Tiridates I strikes coins at Seleucia
3/2 BC	Phraates V of Parthia	3/2 BC	Phraates V of Parthia
5/6 AD	Orodes III of Parthia	4 AD	Orodes III of Parthia
8/9 AD	Vonones I of Parthia	7/8 AD	Vonones I of Parthia
10/11 AD	Artabanus III of Parthia	12 AD	Artabanus III of Parthia
36 AD	Tiridates II of Parthia	36 AD	Tiridates III of Parthia
37 AD	Cinnamus	37 AD	Cinnamus
39–45 AD	Vardanes I of Parthia	38 AD	Gotarzes II of Parthia
43/44–50/51 AD	Gotarzes II of Parthia	39–47/48 AD	Vardanes I of Parthia
50/51–76/77 AD	Vologases I of Parthia	c. 51 AD	Vonones II of Parthia
55 AD	Vardanes II of Parthia	51/52–79/80 AD	Vologases I of Parthia
77/78–78/79 AD	Vologases II of Parthia
77/78–86/87 AD	Pacorus II of Parthia	78–115/116 AD	Pacorus II of Parthia
79/80–80/81 AD	Artabanus IV of Parthia	80–81 AD	Artabanus IV of Parthia
92/93–95/96 AD	Pacorus II of Parthia
104/105–107/108 AD	Vologases III of Parthia	105/106–147 AD	Vologases II
108/109–127/128 AD	Osroes I of Parthia; Parthamaspates of Parthia in 117 AD	109/110–128/129 AD	Osroes I of Parthia; Parthamaspates of Parthia in 117 AD
111/112–146/147 AD	Vologases III of Parthia
c. 130–147 AD	Mithridates IV of Parthia	128/129–147? AD	Mithridates IV of Parthia
147/148–190/191 AD	Vologases IV of Parthia	148–192 AD	Vologases III of Parthia
190/191–207/208 AD	Vologases V of Parthia	191–207/208 AD	Vologases IV of Parthia
207/208–221/222 AD	Vologases VI of Parthia	207/208–222/223 AD	Vologases V of Parthia
c. 213 – c. 224 AD	Artabanus V of Parthia	c. 213 – c. 224 AD	Artabanus V of Parthia

Notes

1. Assar, 2004.Assar, 2005. Assar, "Moses of Choren & the Early Parthian Chronology", 2006.
2. Assar, 2004.Assar, 2005. Assar, "Moses of Choren & the Early Parthian Chronology", 2006.
3. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
4. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
5. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
6. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
7. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
8. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
9. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
10. "Assar 2005" "Assar 2006"
11. Assar, G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 165-91 B.C."
12. "Assar 2005"
13. "Assar 2005"
14. "Assar 2005"
15. Assar, G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 165-91 B.C." Ghashghai, H.R., "The successors of Mithridates II"
16. "Assar 2005"
17. Ghashghai, H.R., "The successors of Mithridates II"
18. Ghashghai, H.R., "The successors of Mithridates II"
19. Ghashghai, H.R., "The successors of Mithridates II"
20. Ghashghai, H.R., "The successors of Mithridates II"
21. Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVI, Ch.8.4
22. Tacitus, The Annals, 11.10
23. See: Unknown King (III) (c. A.D. 140)
24. See: Tiridates III (c. AD 224 – 228?)
25. This table appears in Bivar 1983, pp. 98–99, an appendix for his book chapter "The Political History of Iran Under the Arsacids" in The Cambridge History of Iran

References

• Assar, G.R.F., "Genealogy & Coinage of the Early Parthian Rulers. I", Parthica, 6, 2004, pp. 69–93.
• Assar, G.R.F., "Genealogy & Coinage of the Early Parthian Rulers, II a revised stemma", Parthica, 7, 2005, pp. 29–63.
• Assar, G.R.F., "Moses of Choren & the Early Parthian Chronology", Electrum, vol. 11, 2006, pp. 61–86.
• Assar, G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 165-91 B.C.", Electrum, vol. 11, 2006, pp. 87–158.
• Assar, G.R.F., "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 B.C.", Parthica, 8, 2006, pp. 55–104.
• Bivar, A.D.H. (1983), "The Political History of Iran Under the Arsacids", in Yarshater, Ehsan, Cambridge History of Iran 3.1, London & New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 21–99, ISBN 0-521-20092-X.
• Ghashghai, H.R., "The successors of Mithridates II", Bulletin of Ancient Iranian History (UCLA), vol. 5, March 2009.(in Persian)
• Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews.
• Tacitus, The Annals.
• The Cambridge Ancient History
• The Cambridge History of Iran
• www.parthia.com