Phraates I ( xpr, 𐭐𐭓𐭇𐭕 ''Frahāt'') was king of the
Arsacid dynasty
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 conque ...
from 170/168 BC to 165/64 BC. He subdued the
Mardians
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The_Amardians,_widely_referred_to_as_the_Amardi_(and_sometimes_ ...
, conquered their territory in the
Alborz mountains
The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs no ...
, and reclaimed
Hyrcania
Hyrcania () ( el, ''Hyrkania'', Old Persian: 𐎺𐎼𐎣𐎠𐎴 ''Varkâna'',Lendering (1996) Middle Persian: 𐭢𐭥𐭫𐭢𐭠𐭭 ''Gurgān'', Akkadian: ''Urqananu'') is a historical region composed of the land south-east of the Caspia ...
from the
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by the ...
. He died in 165/64 BC, and was succeeded by his brother
Mithridates I (), whom he had appointed his heir.
Name
''Phraátēs'' () is the
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 ...
transliteration
Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...
of the
Parthian Parthian may be:
Historical
* A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran
* Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD)
* Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language
* Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...
name ''Frahāt'' (𐭐𐭓𐭇𐭕), itself from
Old Iranian
The Iranian languages or Iranic languages are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family that are spoken natively by the Iranian peoples, predominantly in the Iranian plateau, Iranian Pl ...
''*Frahāta-'' ("gained, earned"). The
Modern Persian
New Persian ( fa, فارسی نو), also known as Modern Persian () and Dari (), is the current stage of the Persian language spoken since the 8th to 9th centuries until now in Greater Iran and surroundings. It is conventionally divided into thre ...
version is ''Farhād'' ().
Background
Phraates was the eldest son of the
Parthian Parthian may be:
Historical
* A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran
* Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD)
* Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language
* Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...
monarch
Priapatius (), who was the nephew of
Arsaces II Arsaces or Arsakes (, , Graecized form of Old Persian ) is the eponymous Greek form of the dynastic name of the Parthian Empire of Iran adopted by all epigraphically attested rulers of the Arsacid dynasties. The indigenous Parthian and Armenian f ...
. Phraates had three other brothers,
Mithridates,
Bagasis
Bagasis (also spelled Bakasis and Bagayasha) was a Parthian prince, who played an important role in Parthian politics from 148/7 BC, where he was appointed the governor of the newly conquered region of Media
Media may refer to:
Communicatio ...
and
Artabanus. New
epigraphic
Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
evidence from
Nisa suggests that Priapatius following his death in 170 BC may have been succeeded by an obscure figure named Arsaces IV, who briefly ruled for two years. However, this is rejected by the historian Marek Jan Olbrycht, who calls it "sheer speculation". Since the defeat of Arsaces II against the Greek
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by the ...
in 208, the Parthians had been their subordinate ally. However, with the decline of the Seleucids in the 180s BC, the Parthians were able to reassert much of their former autonomy.
Reign
At the start of 165 BC, Phraates attacked the powerful
Mardians
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The_Amardians,_widely_referred_to_as_the_Amardi_(and_sometimes_ ...
(also known as Amardians), a people who lived in
Alborz mountains
The Alborz ( fa, البرز) range, also spelled as Alburz, Elburz or Elborz, is a mountain range in northern Iran that stretches from the border of Azerbaijan along the western and entire southern coast of the Caspian Sea and finally runs no ...
, which bordered
Hyrcania
Hyrcania () ( el, ''Hyrkania'', Old Persian: 𐎺𐎼𐎣𐎠𐎴 ''Varkâna'',Lendering (1996) Middle Persian: 𐭢𐭥𐭫𐭢𐭠𐭭 ''Gurgān'', Akkadian: ''Urqananu'') is a historical region composed of the land south-east of the Caspia ...
in the east and
Media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
in the southwest. Owing to their geographical position, the Mardians were able to pose a threat to the trade routes stretching from Hyrcania and western Parthia to western Iran. The attack was probably part of the Parthian efforts to expand their domain in Iran proper and secure control over Hyrcania. The main aspiration of the Parthians was to conquer Media, starting with Media Rhagiane. Phraates' attack on the Mardians was successful, conquering the Caspian Gates, as well as the city of
Charax Charax (Χάραξ) may refer to:
* Charax, alternate name of Acharaca, an ancient oracle site in Lydia, Anatolia
* Charax, alternate name of Charakipolis, an ancient town in Lydia, Anatolia
* Charax, alternate name of Tralles, an ancient city in Ly ...
, which was close to the Median metropolis of
Rhaga. Furthermore, he also reclaimed Hyrcania from the Seleucids. He had a group of Mardians deported to Charax to protect the Caspian Gates, and the
Tapurians
The Mazanderani people ( mzn, مازرونیون or mzn, تبریون) or Tabari people ( mzn, تپورون, links=no) are an Iranian peoples, Iranian peopleAcademic American Encyclopedia By Grolier Incorporated, page 294 who are indigenous to ...
in Parthia deported to the
Caspian coast, which gave rise to the name of the historical region
Tabaristan
Tabaristan or Tabarestan ( fa, طبرستان, Ṭabarestān, or mzn, تبرستون, Tabarestun, ultimately from Middle Persian: , ''Tapur(i)stān''), was the name applied to a mountainous region located on the Caspian coast of northern Iran. ...
. Phraates' conquests paved the way for his successors to further expand the Parthian realm.
Phraates' western expansion was a transgression of the traditional
status quo
is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, political, religious or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure and/or values. W ...
between the Parthians and Seleucids. During this period, the Seleucids
were occupied in
Judea
Judea or Judaea ( or ; from he, יהודה, Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew, Standard ''Yəhūda'', Tiberian vocalization, Tiberian ''Yehūḏā''; el, Ἰουδαία, ; la, Iūdaea) is an ancient, historic, Biblical Hebrew, contemporaneous L ...
, which suggests that Phraates deliberately mounted his campaign during a time where the Seleucids were unable to respond. The Seleucid king
Antiochus IV
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (; grc, Ἀντίοχος ὁ Ἐπιφανής, ''Antíochos ho Epiphanḗs'', "God Manifest"; c. 215 BC – November/December 164 BC) was a Greek Hellenistic king who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his deat ...
() left Judea to prepare to mount a retaliation campaign against the Parthians, but died near
Gabae at the end of 164 BC, probably due to disease. His successor, the nine-year-old
Antiochus V Eupator
Antiochus V Eupator (Greek: ''Αντίοχος Ε' Ευπάτωρ''), whose epithet means "of a good father" (c. 172 BC – 161 BC) was a ruler of the Greek Seleucid Empire who reigned from late 164 to 161 BC (based on dates from 1 Maccabees 6:1 ...
() was unable to focus on the Parthians, as his reign was marked by conflict, political intrigue, and
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
influence.
Phraates notably appointed his brother Mithridates as his successor. It was common amongst
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
n nomads for a ruler to be succeeded by his brother instead of his son. This practice may have survived amongst the Arsacids, owing to their nomadic origins. A passage by the 2nd-century Roman historian
Justin
Justin may refer to: People
* Justin (name), including a list of persons with the given name Justin
* Justin (historian), a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire
* Justin I (c. 450–527), or ''Flavius Iustinius Augustus'', Eastern Rom ...
suggests that Priapatius had chosen Mithridates as the successor of Phraates. Olbrycht supports this theory, stating that Phraates was by himself not in a position to choose his brother over his sons, due to his short reign. Justin reports that the interests of the country was of higher importance to Phraates I than that of his sons, which indicates that he supported the decision made by his father regarding the succession. Phraates I died in 165 or 164 BC, and was succeeded by Mithridates I.
Coinage
The coins minted under Phraates were identical to that of his predecessors. The observe depicts the Arsacid monarch, who is beardless, and wearing a soft cap, known as the ''
kyrbasia
The ''Kyrbasia'' ( Old Persian: ''*kurpāsa'') was a type of headgear worn by the satraps of the Achaemenid Empire. It was later adopted by several post-Achaemenid dynasties, including the early Arsacids of Parthia, the early Ariarathids of Capp ...
'', which had also been worn by Achaemenid
satrap
A satrap () was a governor of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic empires.
The satrap served as viceroy to the king, though with consid ...
s. On the reverse, there is a seated archer, dressed in an Iranian riding costume.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Phraates 01 Of Parthia
2nd-century BC Parthian monarchs
2nd-century BC rulers in Asia
160s BC deaths
Year of birth unknown
2nd-century BC Iranian people