List of rulers of Parthian sub-kingdoms

The Parthian Empire ruled over an area roughly corresponding to present-day Iran from the third century BC to the third century AD. It contained a varying number of subordinate semi-autonomous kingdoms each with its own ruler.

Lists of rulers

Arsacids of Armenia 12–428 AD

• Vonones 12–16 (Former king of Parthia as Vonones I)
• Orodes 16–18 (Son of Artabanus III king of Parthia)
• Artaxias III 18–35 (From the house of Polemon)
• Arsaces I 35 (Son of Artabanus III king of Parthia)
• Orodes 35 (Again)
• Mithridates I 35–37 (Son of Mithridates (IV) king of Iberia)
• Orodes 37–42 (Again)
• Mithridates I 42–52 (Again)
• Rhadamistus 52–54 (Son of Pharasmanes (III) king of Iberia)
• Tiridates I 54–60 (Son of Vonones II king of Parthia & Medes)
• Tigranes VI 60–62 (From the house of Herod)
• Tiridates I 62–c. 75 (Again)
• Unknown king c. 75–89 (Probably Vologases II of Parthia)
• Sanatruces I 89–109 (Son of Vologases I of Parthia)
• Axidares (Ashkhadar) 110–113 (Son of Pacorus II king of Parthia)
• Parthamasiris (Partamasir) 113–114 (Son of Pacorus II king of Parthia)
  • Roman occupation 114–115
• Mithridates II 114–116 (Brother of Sanatruces I & Osroes I king of Parthia)
• Sanatruces II 116 (Son of Mithridates II)
• Vologases I from 116 (Son of Sanatruces I)
• ?Achaemenes until 138/144
• Sohaemus 138/144–161 (Son of Achaemenes)
• Pacorus I 161–164 (Aurelius Pacorus)
• Sohaemus 164–178 (Again)
• Vologases II 178–197
• Unknown king 197–215
• Khosrov I 215–216 (Son of Vologases II)
  • Roman occupation 216–217
• Tiridates II 217–222
• ?Khosrov (II) 222–238
• ?Tiridates (III) 238–253
  • Sasanian occupation 253–279
• Hormozd-Ardashir 253–270 (Later king of Iran as Hormizd I son of Shapur I Sassanid)
• Narseh 270–293 (Later king of Iran as Narseh son of Shapur I Sassanid)
• Artavasdes VI c. 260
• Khosrov II 279–287
• Tiridates (IV) 287–298
• Tiridates III 298–330
• Pacorus II 330 (Usurper)
• Khosrov III 330–338
• Tigranes VII 338–351
• Arsaces II (Arshak II) 351–367
• Papas (Pap) 367–374
• Varasdates (Varazdat) 374–378
• Vologases III 378–386 (Co-ruler with Arsaces III (Arshak III))
• Arsaces III 378–389 (Co-ruler with Vologases III then Khosrov IV)
• Khosrov IV 386–392 (Co-ruler with Arsaces III & then alone)
• Vramshapuh 392–414
• Khosrov IV 414–416 (Again)
• Tigranes VIII 416 co-ruler with Arsaces IV
• Arsaces IV 416 co-ruler with Tigranes VIII
• Shapur 416–420 (Later king of Iran as Shapur IV son of Yazdegerd I Sassanid)
• Artaxias IV 422–428

Arsacids of Media 144 BC – 232 AD

• Vologases (Bagasha) 144–122 BC
• Arsaces 122–111
• Artaxerxes 111–97
• Artabanus 97–88
• Mithridates 88–67
• Darius 67–65
• Mithridates 65–55
• Orodes 55–50
• Pacorus 50–38
• ?Tiridates c. 30–25
• ?Mithridates 12–9 BC
• ?Orodes c. 4–6 AD
• Artabanus 9–12 AD
  • ...
• Vonones c. 45–51
• Pacorus 51–75 son of Vonones
  • ...
• Arsaces c. 136 AD
• ?Pacorus to 163 AD
  • ...
• Vologases to 208
  • ...
• Artabanus 213–226
• Pacorus from 226 AD son of Artabanus

Arsacid kings of Iberia 123 BC – c. 230 AD

Ruler	Year
Rev I	189 to 216
Vache	216 to 234
Bacurius I	234 to 249
Mithridates II	249 to 265
Amazaspus III	260 to 265
Aspacures I	265 to 284

Arsacids of Caucasian Albania 123 BC – c. 490 AD

• Vachagan I the Brave
• Vache I
• Urnayr
• Vachagan II
• Mirhavan
• Satoy
• Asay
• Aswagen
• Vache II
• Vachagan III the Pious

Arsacids of Hyrcania c. 170 BC – c. 230 AD

• Arsaces c. 165 BC son of Phraates I
• Himerus to 129 BC
• Otanes c. 70 BC
• Artabanus c. 9–40 AD
• Gotarzes 40–51 AD

Indo-Parthians c. 20 –c. 240 AD

Indo-Parthian rulers of Sistan (Drangiana)

Source:

• Gondophares I Great king of kings, Autocrator (c. 20 BC – first years AD)
• Gondophares II Gadana Orthagnes (c. 20 AD – 30 AD?), brother of Gondophares I
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)
• Gondophares IV Gadana Obouzanes, son of Orthagnes
• Sanabares Great King, son of Ubouzanes
• Abdagases II King, son of Sanabares
• Pacores (late 1st century AD)
• ? Tiridates (No coins), son of Sanabares
• ? Atursasan (No coins), son of Tiridates
• Farn-Sasan, son of Atursasan

Indo-Parthian rulers of Arachosia (Kandahar)

Source:

• Gondophares I Great king of kings, Autocrator (c. 20 BC – first years AD)
• Sarpedones Basileontos (first years AD – c. 20 AD)
• Gondophares II Gadana Orthagnes Basileontos (c. 20 AD – 30 AD?)
• Abdagases I, nephew of Gondophares I (first years AD – mid-1st century AD)
• Sarpedones Great king of kings, Dikaios, Soter, Nikiphoros
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)
• Sanabares Great King, Soter
• Abdagases II King
• Pacores (late 1st century AD)

Indo-Parthian rulers of Jammu

Source:

• Gondophares I (c. 20 BC – first years AD)
• Abdagases I (first years AD – mid-1st century AD)
• Sarpedones
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)
• Gondophares IV Gadana Obouzanes
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)

Indo-Parthian rulers of Indus shore (Balochistan)

Source:

• Sarpedones
• Satavastra
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)

Indo-Parthian rulers of Gandhara

Source:

• Gondophares I (c. 20 BC – first years AD)
• Abdagases I Basileontos (first years AD – mid-1st century AD)
• Abdagases I Great king, king of kings (first years AD – mid-1st century AD)
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)

Indo-Parthian rulers of Taxila

Source:

• Abdagases I (first years AD – mid-1st century AD)
• Gondophares III Sases (mid-1st century AD)

Indo-Parthian rulers of North Arachosia (Bagram)

Source:

• Gondophares I Great king of kings, Autocrator, Soter (c. 20 BC – first years AD)
• Abdagases I Great king, Soter (first years AD – mid-1st century AD)

Kings of Merv & Abarshahr c. 10–c. 250 AD

Source:

• ? cont. with Phraates V
• ? cont. with Artabanus II
• ? cont. with Gotarzes II and Vardanes I
• D ... c. 50 AD
• Po ... cont. with Vologases I
• Sanabares c. 2nd half of the 1st century AD
• Pacores c. 100 AD
• ? cont. with Vologases III and Mithridates IV
• ? cont. with Vologases III and Mithridates IV
• Tiren cont. with Vologases IV
• ? cont. with Vologases IV
• Ardashir c. 200 AD
• ? 1st half of the 3rd century
• ? 1st half of the 3rd century
• ? c. 250 AD

Kings of Persis c. 230 BC – c. 210 AD

Source:

Name		Date	Family Relations	Note
1	Vahbarz I	beg. of 3rd century BC	?	leader of a revolution against Seleucids (?)
2	Baykard	?	Fratarakā dynasty
3	Baydād (bgdt)	end of 3rd/ beg. of 2nd century BC	Fratarakā dynasty – son of Baykard	sub-Seleucid
4	Ardaxšīr I (rtḥštry)	1st half of 2nd century	Fratarakā dynasty	sub-Seleucid
5	Vahbarz II (whwbrz – called Oborzos in Polyenus 7.40)	1st half of 2nd century	Fratarakā dynasty
6	Vādfradād I (wtprdt)	mid-3nd century BC	Fratarakā dynasty – son of Vahbarz	Vadfradad I and his successors were as sub-Parthian dynasts.
7	Vadfradad II	c. 140	?
8	'Unknown king I' (Syknlt?)	2nd half of 2nd century	?
9	Darev I	end of 2nd century	?
10	Vadfradad III	1st half of 1st century	?
11	Darev II	1st century	son of Vadfradad III
12	Ardashir II	2nd half of 1st century	son of Darev II	killed by his brother Vahshir I
13	Vahshir I	2nd half of 1st century	son of Darev II
14	Pakor I	1st half of 1st century AD	son of Vahshir I
15	Pakor II	1st half of 1st century	?
16	Nambed	mid-1st century	son of Ardashir II
17	Napad	2nd half of 1st century	son of Nambed
18	'Unknown king II'	end of 1st century	?
19	Vadfradad IV	1st half of 2nd century	?
20	Manchihr I	1st half of 2nd century	?
21	Ardashir III	1st half of 2nd century	son of Manchihr I
22	Manchihr II	mid-2nd century	son of Ardashir III
23	Pakor III	2nd half of 2nd century	?
24	Manchihr III	2nd half of 2nd century	son of Manchihr II
25	Ardashir IV	end of 2nd century	son of Manchihr III
26	Vahshir II	c. 206–210 AD	?	The last of Bazarangids.
27	Shapur	beg. of 3rd century	Brother of the first Sasanian, Ardashir I
28	Ardashir V	beg. of 3rd century	First Sasanian ruler, under the name of Ardashir I

Rulers of Hatra (2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE)

In inscriptions found at Hatra, several rulers are mentioned, while other rulers are sporadically mentioned by classical authors.

They appear with two titles: the earlier rulers are called mry' (translation uncertain, perhaps administrator), the later ones mlk -king – see Kingdom of Hatra.

Name		Title	Date	Family Relations	Note
1	Worod	mry'
2	Ma’nu	mry'
3	Elkud	mry'	155/156 AD
4	Nashrihab	mry'	128/29 – 137/38 AD
5	Naṣru	mry'	128/29 – 176/77
6	Wolgash I	mry' and mlk – King
7	Sanatruq I	mry' and mlk – King	176/177 AD		ruled together with Wolgash I
8	Wolgash (II?)			son of Wolgash (I)
9	Abdsamiya	mlk – King	192/93 – 201/202 AD		Supported the Roman emperor Pescennius Niger
10	Sanatruq II	mlk – King	207/08 – 229/230 AD

Kings of Elymais c. 147 BC – c. 224 AD

• Kamnaskires I Soter (c. 147 BC?)
• Kamnaskires II Nikephoros (c 145–c. 139 BC)
• Okkonapses (c. 139/138–c. 137 BC), rebel
• Tigraios (c. 137–c. 132 bc), rebel
• Darius Soter (c. 129 BC), rebel
• Pittit (125–124 BC), rebel
• Kamnaskires III (c. 82–62/61 BC), co-ruler with Anzaze
• Anzaze (c. 82–62/61 BC), co-ruler with Kamnaskires III
• Kamnaskires IV (1st century BC)
• Kamnaskires V (1st century BC)
• Kamnaskires VI (1st century AD)
• Orodes I (1st century)
• Orodes II, also known as Kamnaskires-Orodes (1st/2nd century)
• Phraates (1st/2nd century)
• Osroes (2nd century)
• Orodes III (2nd century), co-ruler with Ulfan
• Ulfan (2nd century), co-ruler with Orodes III
• Abar-Basi (2nd century)
• Orodes IV (2nd/3rd century)
• Khwasak (3rd century)
• Orodes V (3rd century)

Kings of Characene c. 170 BC–c. 222 AD

Source:

• Hyspaosines c. 127–122/121 BC
• Apodakos c. 110/109–104/103 BC
• Tiraios I 95/94–90/89 BC
• Tiraios II 79/78–49/48 BC
• Artabazos 49/48–48/47 BC
• Attambelos I 47/46–25/24 BC
• Theonesios I c. 19/18 BC
• Attambalos II c. 17/16 BC – AD 8/9
• Abinergaos I 10/11; 22/23
• Orabazes I c. 19
• Attambalos III c. 37/38–44/45
• Theonesios II c. 46/47
• Theonesios III c. 52/53
• Attambalos IV 54/55–64/65
• Attambalos V 64/65–73/74
• Orabazes II c. 73–80
• Pakoros (II) 80–101/02 king of Iran
• Attambalos VI c. 101/02–105/06
• Theonesios IV c. 110/11–112/113
• Attambalos VII 113/14–117
• Meredates c. 131–150/51 son of Pakoros (II) king of Iran
• Orabazes III c. 150/151–165
• Abinergaios II (?) c. 165–180
• Attambalos VIII c. 180–195 (?)
• Maga (?) c. 195–210
• Abinergaos III c. 210–222

Kings of Osrhoene 132 BC–c. 293 AD

• Aryu (132–127 BC)
• Abdu bar Maz'ur (127–120 BC)
• Fradhasht bar Gebar'u (120–115 BC)
• Bakru I bar Fradhasht (115–112 BC)
• Bakru II bar Bakru (112–94 BC)
• Ma'nu I (94 BC)
• Abgar I Piqa (94–68 BC)
• Abgar II bar Abgar (68–52 BC)
• Ma'nu II (52–34 BC)
• Paqor (34–29 BC)
• Abgar III (29–26 BC)
• Abgar IV Sumaqa (26–23 BC)
• Ma'nu III Saphul (23–4 BC)
• Abgar V Ukkama bar Ma'nu (Abgarus of Edessa) (4 BC–7 AD)
• Ma'nu IV bar Ma'nu (7–13 AD)
• Abgar V Ukkama bar Ma'nu (13–50)
• Ma'nu V bar Abgar (50–57)
• Ma'nu VI bar Abgar (57–71)
• Abgar VI bar Ma'nu (71–91)
• Sanatruk (91–109)
• Abgar VII bar Ezad (109–116)
  • Roman interregnum 116–118
• Yalur (118–122, co-ruler with Parthamaspates)
• Parthamaspates (118–123)
• Ma'nu VII bar Ezad (123–139)
• Ma'nu VIII bar Ma'nu (139–163)
• Wa'il bar Sahru (163–165)
• Ma'nu VIII bar Ma'nu (165–167)
• Abgar VIII (167–177)
• Abgar IX (the great) (177–212)
• Abgar X Severus bar Ma'nu (212–214)
• Abgar (X) Severus Bar Abgar (IX) Rabo (214–216)
• Ma’nu (IX) Bar Abgar (X) Severus (216–242)
• Abgar (XI) Farhat Bar Ma’nu (IX) (242–244)

Kings of Adiabene c. 69 BC – c. 310 AD

• Abdissares (c. 164 BC)
• Unknown king (c. 69 BC)
• Artaxares (cont. with Augustus)
• Izates I (c. 15 AD)
• Bazeus Monobazus I (20?–30?)
• Heleni (c. 30–58)
• Izates II bar Monobazus (c. 34–58)
  • Vologases (Parthian occupation opposing Izates II) (c. 50)
• Monobazus II bar Monobazus (58 – middle of the 70s)
• Meharaspes (?–116)
  • To the Roman Empire (116–117)
• Atwr ('tlw) (c. 150)
  • To the Sassanid Empire
  • Ardashir II (344–376)

Kings of Korduene c. 140 BC – c. 359 AD

• Zarbienus; early mid-1st century BC until c. 69 BC. Killed by Tigranes II.
• Manisarus; ~ 115 AD: He took control over parts of Armenia and Mesopotamia, in the time of Trajan.
• Ardashir; ~ 340s AD: He was against the Christianization of Corduene.
• Jovinian ~ 359 AD

Notes and references

1. Qashqai, "The successors of Mithridates II"
2. Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVI, Ch.8.4
3. Fröhlich, 2004; Qashqai, 2017
4. Baratin, 2009.
5. Wiesehöfer, 1996, p. 319.
6. Rezakhani, Kh., "The "Unbekannter König III" and the Coinage of Hellenistic and Arsacid Persis", Nameye Iran-e Bastan, 15 (2010)
7. Wiesehöfer, 1996, pp. 317–318.
8. History of the Syrian Nation and the Old Evangelical-Apostolic Church of the East, page: 128, George David Malech, Published 2006, Gorgias Press LLC, 484 pages, ISBN 1-59333-408-7
9. The Later Roman Empire: AD 354–378, Ammianus Marcellinus, Translated by Walter Hamilton, page 155, Contributor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, Published 1986, Penguin Classics, ISBN 0-14-044406-8

Bibliography

• Baratin, Charlotte, "Les provinces orientales de l’empire parthe", Thèse de doctorat en Langues, histoire et civilisations des mondes anciens, Université Lumière Lyon2, 2009, V. Entre Parthes et Kushans.
• Fröhlich, C. Indo-Parthian Dynasty. Encyclopædia Iranica, Vol. Xiii, Fasc. 1: 100–103, 2004.
• Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews.
• Pakzadian, Hasan. "The Coins of Elymais", Tehran, 2007. (in Persian)
• Qashqai, Hamidreza, "The successors of Mithridates II", Bulletin of Ancient Iranian History (UCLA), vol. 5, March 2009.(in Persian)
• Qashqai, Hamidreza. "Indo-Parthian descendants in the Sasanian era", 2017.
• The Cambridge History of Iran (CHI), vol. 3(I), THE SELEUCID, PARTHIAN AND SASANIAN PERIODS, Cambridge University Press, 1983.
• The Cambridge History of Iran (CHI), vol. 3(II), THE SELEUCID, PARTHIAN AND SASANIAN PERIODS, Cambridge University Press, 1983.
• Wiesehöfer, Josef, "ANCIENT PERSIA from 550 BC to 650 AD", tr. by Azizeh Azodi, I.B.Tauris Publishers, London, 1996.
• www.parthia.com