Rulers of Persia and Environs

Medes | Persians | Parthians | Armenians

[Dates reflect the Julian year in which the various reigns began and ended. Since the new year began in different months in different regions, co-regencies were arbitrarily included or excluded, and the various regimes sometimes used accession and sometimes non-accession reckoning, these tables cannot accurately reflect the various rulers' official regnal years.]

KINGS OF THE MEDES
728-675
Deioces (Diyaka)
United seven Median tribes.
675-653
Phraortes (Fravartish)
Son of Deioces.
653-625
Madius the Scythian (Madya)
Usurper.
625-585
Cyaxares (Hvakhshathra)
Son of Phraortes.
585-550
Astyages (Ishtavigu)
Son of Cyaxares.

ACHAEMENID DYNASTY OF PERSIA
? - c. 675
Achaemenes (Hakhamanish)

c. 675-640
Teispes (Tshishpish)
Son of Achaemenes.
640-580
Cyrus I (Koroush)
Son of Teispes.
580-559
Cambyses I (Kambujiya)
Son of Teispes. Married Madane, daughter of Astyages of Media.
559-529
Cyrus II (Koroush)
Called "Cyrus the Great." Son of Cambyses. Conquered the Median Empire in 550, overthrowing his grandfather Astyages.
530-522
Cambyses II (Kambujiya)
Son of Cyrus II.
522
Gaumata
Impersonated Smerdis (Bardiya), son of Cyrus II.
521-486
Darius I (Darayavahush)
Son of Hystaspes (Vishtaspa), son of Arsames (Arshama), son of Ariamnes (Ariyaramna), son of Teispes.
486-465
Xerxes I (Khshayarsha)
Son of Darius I.
465-424
Artaxerxes I (Rtakhshathra)
Son of Xerxes I.
424
Xerxes II (Khshayarsha)
Son of Artaxerxes I.
424-423
Sogdianus / Secydianus
Half-brother of Xerxes II. Reigned six months, fifteen days.
423-404
Darius II (Darayavahush)
Half-brother and rival of Sogdianus.
404-358
Artaxerxes II (Rtakhshathra)
Son of Darius II.
358-338
Artaxerxes III (Rtakhshathra)
Son of Artaxerxes II.
338-336
Artaxerxes IV (Rtakhshathra)
Son of Artaxerxes III.
336-330
Darius III (Darayavahush)
Great-grandson of Darius II.
330-329
Artaxerxes V (Rtakhshathra)
Also called Bessus. Murdered Darius II and continued the resistance against Alexander the Great.
 
ALEXANDER AND HIS IMMEDIATE SUCCESSORS
332-323 Alexander III of Macedonia Called "Alexander the Great." Son of Philip II.
323-321
Perdiccas
Named regent at the death of Alexander. The empired was divided among Alexander's generals, who became satraps of the various provinces according to the Division of Babylon (323). Murdered in Egypt.
323-317 Philip III Arrhidaeus Illegitimate son of Philip II and half-brother of Alexander the Great.
323-309 Alexander IV Aegus Posthumous son of Alexander the Great. Last of the old Macedonian royal line.
 
THE ARSACID DYNASTY OF PARTHIA
247-211
Arsaces I (Arshaka)
Chief of the Pani tribe of Scythians. Defeated Andragoras, the Seleucid satrap of Parthia, in 238. May have reigned along with his brother, Tiridates (Tiridat).
211-191
Arsaces II (Arshaka)
Son of Arsaces I.
191-176
Phriapatius (Friapata)
Grandson of Tiridates, brother of Arsaces I. Ruled under the Seleucids; regained Parthian independence after the Romans defeated Antiochus III in 189.
176-171
Phraates I (Frahata)
Son of Phriapatius.
171-138
Mithridates I (Mithradata)
Son of PhriapatiusI. Actively promoted Hellenism.
138-127
Phraates II (Frahata)
Son of Phraates I.
127-124
Artabanus (Ardavan / Artapana)
Son of Phriapatius.
123-88
Mithridates II (Mithradata)

95-90
Gotarzes I (Godarz)
Grandson of Phriapatius; rival to Mithridates II.
90-80
Orodes I (Urud)
Succeeded Gotarzes.
80
[unknown king]

80-70
[unknown king]
Succeeded Orodes I.
77-70
Sinatruces (Sanatruk)
Rival claimant to Orodes I.
70
Darius (Dariahush) of Media Atropene
Rival claimant.
70-57
Phraates III (Frahata)
Son of Sinatruces, murdered by his sons.
57-54
Mithridates III (Mithradata)
Son of Phraates III.
57-38
Orodes II (Urud)
Son of Phraates III.
39
Pacorus I (Pakur)
Son of Orodes II. Ruled jointly with his father.
38-2
Phraates IV (Frahata)
Son of Orodes II.
29-26
Tiridates I (Tiridat)
Set up by Parthians against Phraates IV, but later expelled.
2 BC - AD 4
Phraates V (Frahata)
Son of Phraates IV. Also called Phrataces (Frahatak), a diminutive.
2 BC - AD 4 Musa
Wife of Phraates IV. Ruled jointly with her son, Phraates V.
AD 6
Orodes III (Urud)
Elevated by Parthian nobles after the death of Phraates V, but killed after a brief reign because of his extreme cruelty.
8-12
Vonones I (Vonun / Vahunam)
Son of Phraatres IV.
10-38
Artabanus II (Ardavan / Artapana)
Son of an Arsacid princess. Raised to the throne by nobles who would not acknowledge Vonones I.
35-36
Tiridates II (Tiridat)
Granson of Phraatres IV. Educated in Rome.
40-47
Vardanes I (Vardan / Bardan)
Son of Artabanus II.
40-51
Gotarzes II (Godarz)
Son of Artabanus II.
50-65
Sanabares
Rival claimant.
51
Vonones II (Vonun / Vahunam)
Son of Artabanus II, brother of Gotarzes II.
51-78
Vologases I (Valgash)
Son of Vonones II.
55-58
Vardanes II (Vardan / Bardan)
Son of Vologases I. Rebelled against his father.
77-80
Vologases II (Valgash)
Son of Vologases I.
78-105
Pacorus II (Pakur)
Son of Vologases I.
80-90
Artabanus III (Ardavan / Artapana)
Revolted against Pacorus. Supported a pretender to the Roman empire in Asia Minor who called himself "Nero."
105-147
Vologases III (Valgash)
Claimed the throne in the last days of Pacorus II.
109-129
Osroes I (Khusrau)
Son of Vonones II.
116
Parthamaspates (Parthamaspata)
Son of Osroes I. Roman client king.
129-140
Mithridates IV (Mithradata)
Son of Vonones II.
140
[unknown king]

147-191
Vologases IV (Valgash)
Son of Mithridates IV.
190
Osroes II (Khusrau)
Rival claimant.
191-208
Vologases V (Valgash)

208-228
Vologases VI (Valgash)

216-224
Artabanus IV (Ardavan / Artapana) Son of Vologases VI. Ruled jointly with his father.
224-228
Tiridates III (Tiridat)


THE ARTAXIAD DYNASTY OF ARMENIA
189-160
Artaxias I (Artashes)

160-115
Artavasdes I (Artawazd)

115-95
Tigranes I (Tigran)

95-55
Tigranes II (Tigran)
Called "Tigranes the Great."
55-34
Artavasdes II (Artawazd)


Alexander Helios
Non-dynastic.
30-20
Artaxias II (Artashes)

20-8
Tigranes III (Tigran)


Tigranes IV (Tigran)

5-2
Artavasdes III (Artawazd)

2-12 (?)
Erato
Queen.

Ariobarzanes
Non-dynastic

Artavasdes IV
Non-dynastic

Tigranes V
Non-dynastic

NON-DYNASTIC RULERS OF ARMENIA UNDER ROME AND PARTHIA
1 BC - AD 2
Ariobarzan of Atropatene
Roman protectorate.
2-11
Artavasdes V (Artawazd)
Son of Ariobarzan
15-16
Vonones (Vonun / Vahunam)
Expelled king of Parthia, ruling from Armenia. Roman protectorate.
16-18

Roman interregnum; Vonones as nominal king.
18-34
Artaxias III of Pontus (Artashes)
Roman protectorate.
34-35
Arsaces (Arshak) of Armenia
Son of Artabanus II of Parthia. Parthian protectorate.
35
Orodes of Armenia
Pretender, son of Artabanus II.
35-37
Mithridates of Iberia
Roman protectorate.
37-42
Orodes of Armenia
Now rules as king. Parthian protectorate.
42-51
Mithridates of Iberia
Second reign. Parthian protectorate.
51-53
Rhadamistes
Roman protectorate.
53
Tiridates (Trdat)
Son of Vologases I of Parthia.
53-54
Rhadamistes
Second reign.

THE ARSACID DYNASTY OF ARMENIA
54-56
Tiridates (Trdat)
Second reign.
56-58(9)
Tiridates I (Trdat) of Armenia

58-59

Roman occupation of Armenia.
59-62
Tigranes VI (Tigran)
Roman protectorate.
62-72
Tiridates I (Trdat)
Second reign. Parthian protectorate 62-63; Roman protectorate 63-72.
72-?
Axidares
Son of Pacorus II of Parthia. Roman protectorate.
?-114
Parthamasiris
Son of Pacorus II of Parthia and brother of Axidares. Parthian protectorate.
114-118

Armenia was a Roman province.
118-?
Vologases I (Vagharsh / Valarsh)
From the Parthian Arsacid dynasty. Roman protectorate.
?-140(4)
Aurelius Pacorus

140(4)-161
Sohaemus
161-163
Pakoros

163-?
Sohaemus Second reign.
?-197
Sanatruk

197
Vologases II (Vagharsh / Valarsh)
Son of Sanatrik. Also called "Valarsaces."
197-238
Chosroes (Khosrov) I of Armenia
Son of Vologases II.
238-252

To Persia
252-428

Remainder of the Arsacid dynasty.