Who's Who in the Ancient Near East by Leick Gwendolyn

Author:Leick, Gwendolyn
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 978-1-134-78795-1
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

Mithridates I

Parthian king, brother of his predecessor Phraates I (171–139/38). Under his rule the Parthian empire grew in power and expanded westwards to include, for a while, Mesopotamia. Benefiting from the defeat of the Seleucids against the Romans he first consolidated his position in the east, establishing Parthian control. Then he moved against the satrap of Media, who blocked the way to Mesopotamia. After prolonged fighting Mithridates was successful and he appointed his own governor over Media. By July 141 he had conquered most of Mesopotamia and occupied Babylon and Seleucia.

A cuneiform tablet from Uruk reports that his authority was recognised there too. He adopted the ancient Persian title ‘king of kings’ and used the epithet ‘philhellene’ in an attempt to enlist the support of the local Greek population.

The Seleucid king Demetrios II Nicator was also captured in 141, but fighting continued for at least the next three years because of the serious attacks on Babylonia by the local ruler of Elymais.

Colledge 1967: 28–30; Schippmann 1980: 23–6; Wiesehöfer 1996: 121, 133, 139

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