Abdagases I (
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: Ἀβδαγάσης, epigraphically ΑΒΔΑΓΑΣΟΥ;
Kharosthi: 𐨀𐨬𐨡𐨒𐨮 ', '
[Gardner, Percy, ''The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum'', p. 107-108]) was an
Indo-Parthian king, who ruled
Gandhara and possibly over most of the
Indus region
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
from c. 46 to 60 AD. He was a nephew and successor of
Gondophares, who had laid foundations for the Indo-Parthian kingdom after revolting against his
Arsacid
The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conquer ...
overlords in c. 19 AD. Abdagases was succeeded by
Orthaghnes or
Pacores.
Life
Abdagases belonged to the
House of Suren
House of Suren or Surenas.. ( Parthian: 𐭎𐭅𐭓𐭉𐭍 Surēn, Middle Persian: 𐭮𐭥𐭫𐭩𐭭) is one of two Parthian noble families explicitly mentioned by name in sources dateable to the Arsacid period..
History
The head of Sure ...
, a prominent and influential family within the Arsacid Empire. He succeeded his uncle Gondophares as the ruler of
Gandhara in c. 46 AD, whilst
Orthagnes succeeded him at
Drangiana
Drangiana or Zarangiana ( el, Δραγγιανή, ''Drangianē''; also attested in Old Western Iranian as 𐏀𐎼𐎣, ''Zraka'' or ''Zranka'', was a historical region and administrative division of the Achaemenid Empire. This region comprise ...
and
Arachosia
Arachosia () is the Hellenized name of an ancient satrapy situated in the eastern parts of the Achaemenid empire. It was centred around the valley of the Arghandab River in modern-day southern Afghanistan, and extended as far east as the ...
. The figure of Abdagases is obscure; according to Gazerani, it is likely that Abdagases may have been the same person as another Abdagases, an influential and powerful Suren noble in the Arsacid Empire, who belonged to a faction of Parthian magnates that were dissatisfied with the Parthian king
Artabanus II. The Parthian magnates had at first favoured a grandson of
Phraates IV
Phraates IV (also spelled Frahad IV; xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭇𐭕 ''Frahāt''), was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 37 to 2 BC. He was the son and successor of Orodes II (), and was given the throne after the death of his brother Pacorus I. ...
, also named Phraates as a better choice for king. However, he met an abrupt death in
Syria. The Parthian magnates then turned to another prince,
Tiridates III, who was crowned by Abdagases.
Some of the Parthian magnates, however, were supporters of Artabanus II, due to their concern that Abdagases would become the ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' ruler of the Arsacid Empire, with Tiridates as a
figurehead
In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they ...
. As a result, Abdagases and his son Sinnacus withdrew their support from Tiridates as well. This event seems to have coincided with the declaration of independence in
Sakastan
Sistān ( fa, سیستان), known in ancient times as Sakastān ( fa, سَكاستان, "the land of the Saka"), is a historical and geographical region in present-day Eastern Iran ( Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and Southern Afghanistan ( ...
by the Suren family under Gondophares. The identification of the two Abdagases figures, although supported by some scholars, nevertheless still remains indecisive, due to the lack of numismatic evidence. Abdagases ruled as king till c. 60 AD, and was succeeded by
Orthagnes or
Pacores.
Notes
References
Sources
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External links
Coins of Abdagases
Indo-Parthian kings
1st-century monarchs in Asia
60 deaths
Year of birth unknown
1st-century Iranian people
{{Indo-Parthian kings