Eranshahr

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House of Arsaces

Mohammad Rasoulipour

Parthian | Arshak | Ashkan | خاندان اشکانی | خاندان اَرشَک | 𐭀𐭓𐭔𐭊

Type: Historical, Royal
Most Significant: 2nd C. BCE - 7th C. CE
Patriarch/Eponymous Founder: Arsaces I - Aršak (اَرشَک) - who in turn may have been named after Achaemenid Emperor, Arsaces (Artaxerxes II Reignal Name) whom he claimed lineage from.
Ethno-Linguistic Family: Iranian, Parni, Parthian
Seat: Ctesiphon, Ecbatana, Hecatompylos (Šahr-e Qumis), Susa, Mithradatkirt, Asaak, Rhages

The House of Arsaces, also known as the Arsacid or Parthian dynasty, was the ruling family of the Parthian Empire, which was located in what is now Iran and parts of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mesopotamia. The dynasty was founded by Arsaces I, who declared himself king of Parthia in the mid-3rd century BC after leading a rebellion against the Seleucid Empire, which had controlled the region since the death of Alexander the Great. The Arsacids, who spoke a form of Middle Iranian known as Parthian, are known for their military prowess and for their cultural achievements, including their art, architecture, and literature.

House of Arsaces was not only significant in Iranian history but also in Armenian and Indian subcontinent history.

A speculative family tree of the House of Arsaces. Source parthia.com

Etymology: Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎣 (a-r-š-k /aršaka-/)

Notable Figures

  • Arsaces I (247-211 BC)

  • Arsaces II (211-185 BC)

  • Priapatius (185-170 BC)

  • Phraates I (170-138 BC)

  • Mithridates I (138-128 BC)

  • Phraates II (128-123 BC)

  • Artabanus I (123-89 BC)

  • Mithridates II (89-80 BC)

  • Gotarzes I (80-51 BC)

  • Orodes I (57-37 BC)

  • Phraates III (70-57 BC)

  • Sinatruces (77-70 BC)

  • Mithridates III (57-54 BC)

  • Orodes II (57-38 BC)

  • Phraates IV (38-2 BC)

  • Tiridates II (30-26 BC)

  • Phraates V (2 BC - AD 4)

  • Orodes III (4-6 AD)

  • Vonones I (8-12 AD)

  • Artabanus II (10-38 AD)

  • Gotarzes II (40-51 AD)

  • Vardanes I (40-47 AD)

  • Vologases I (51-78 AD)

  • Pacorus II (78 AD)

  • Artabanus III (80-90 AD)

  • Vologases II (77-80 AD, 105-147 AD)

  • Osroes I (109-129 AD)

  • Parthamaspates (116-117 AD)

  • Mithridates IV (129-140 AD)

  • Vologases III (147-191 AD)

  • Vologases IV (191-208 AD)

  • Osroes II (190-225 AD)

  • Vologases V (208-228 AD)

  • Vologases VI (229-248 AD)

  • Artabanus IV (216-224 AD)

See this gallery in the original post

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