Orodes I of Parthia
Encyclopedia
King Orodes I of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....

 from c. 90
90 BC
Year 90 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Lupus...

 to 80 BC
80 BC
Year 80 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sulla and Metellus...

 in succession to Gotarzes I
Gotarzes I of Parthia
Gotarzes I of Parthia ruled parts of the Parthian Empire c. 95–90 BC. He was the grandson of Phriapatius and came to power during the troubled times around the end of the reign of Mithridates II. He is mentioned on some astronomical tablets from Babylon and appears to have reigned for some...

. Until 88 BC
88 BC
Year 88 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sulla and Rufus...

 his reign coincided with that of Mithridates II
Mithridates II of Parthia
Mithridates II the Great was king of Parthian Empire from 123 to 88 BC. His name invokes the protection of Mithra. He adopted the title Epiphanes, "god manifest" and introduced new designs on his extensive coinage....

, the rival king against whom Gotarzes had revolted. Coins bearing Orodes' likeness were issued from the Median
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...

 mints of the cities of Ecbatana
Ecbatana
Ecbatana is supposed to be the capital of Astyages , which was taken by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in the sixth year of Nabonidus...

 and Rhagae
Ray, Iran
Rey or Ray , also known as Rhages and formerly as Arsacia, is the capital of Rey County, Tehran Province, Iran, and is the oldest existing city in the province....

.

The history of Parthia is quite obscure during this period, but Orodes' reign seems to have ended, as it had begun, in civil war with an unknown claimant. The name of his successor is also unknown, and it is only with the beginning of the reign of Sanatruces
Sanatruces of Parthia
King Sanatruces of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire from c. 77 to c. 70 BC. He was a member of the Arsacid house, who, according to work attributed to Lucian, in the troubled times after the death of Mithridates II in ca...

, c. 77 BC
77 BC
Year 77 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Brutus and Lepidus...

, that the line of Parthian rulers can again be reliably traced.

Orodes is mentioned as king of kings of the Arsacid dynasty in a Babylonian report of the lunar eclipse of 11 April 80 BC.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK