Theonesios I was a King of Characene, [1] a vassal state of the Parthian empire and important trading port on the Persian Gulf. His rule was from 25/24BC to 19/18BC. [2]
He is known only from his silver Tetradrachms, which exhibits various spelling of his name. [3]
Mithridates I, also known as Mithridates I the Great, was king of the Parthian Empire from 165 BC to 132 BC. During his reign, Parthia was transformed from a small kingdom into a major political power in the Ancient East as a result of his conquests. He first conquered Aria, Margiana and western Bactria from the Greco-Bactrians sometime in 163–155 BC, and then waged war with the Seleucid Empire, conquering Media and Atropatene in 148/7 BC. In 141 BC, he conquered Babylonia and held an official investiture ceremony in Seleucia. The kingdoms of Elymais and Characene shortly afterwards became Parthian vassals. In c. 140 BC, while Mithridates was fighting the nomadic Saka in the east, the Seleucid king Demetrius II Nicator attempted to regain the lost territories; initially successful, he was defeated and captured in 138 BC, and shortly afterwards sent to one of Mithridates I's palaces in Hyrcania. Mithridates I then punished Elymais for aiding Demetrius, and made Persis a Parthian vassal.
Artabanus I, incorrectly known in older scholarship as Artabanus II, was king of the Parthian Empire, ruling briefly from c. 127 to 124/3 BC. His short reign ended abruptly when he died during a battle against the Yuezhi in the east. He was succeeded by his son Mithridates II.
Vologases IV was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 147 to 191. He was the son of Mithridates V. Vologases spent the early years of his reign re-asserting Parthian control over the Kingdom of Characene. From 161 to 166, he waged war against the Roman Empire; although initially successful, conquering Armenia and Syria, he was eventually pushed back, briefly losing control of the Parthian capitals of Seleucia and Ctesiphon to the Romans. The Romans suffered heavy losses from a plague erupting from Seleucia in 166, forcing them to withdraw. The war ended soon afterward, with Vologases losing most of northern Mesopotamia to the Romans. He died in 191 and was succeeded by his son Vologases V.
Characene, also known as Mesene (Μεσσήνη) or Meshan, was a kingdom founded by the Iranian Hyspaosines located at the head of the Persian Gulf mostly within modern day Iraq. Its capital, Charax Spasinou, was an important port for trade between Mesopotamia and India, and also provided port facilities for the city of Susa further up the Karun River. The kingdom was frequently a vassal of the Parthian Empire. Characene was mainly populated by Arabs, who spoke Aramaic as their cultural language. All rulers of the principality had Iranian names. Members of the Arsacid dynasty also ruled the state.
Charax Spasinu, also called Charax Spasinou, Charax Pasinu, Spasinu Charax, Alexandria or Antiochia in Susiana, was an ancient port at the head of the Persian Gulf in modern day Iraq, and the capital of the ancient kingdom of Characene.
Apodakos was a king of Characene, a kingdom presumably vassal of the Parthian Empire.
Hyspaosines was an Iranian prince, and the founder of Characene, a kingdom situated in southern Mesopotamia. He was originally a Seleucid satrap installed by king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but declared independence in 141 BC after the collapse and subsequent transfer of Seleucid authority in Iran and Babylonia to the Parthians. Hyspaosines briefly occupied the Parthian city of Babylon in 127 BC, where he is recorded in records as king (šarru). In 124 BC, however, he was forced to acknowledge Parthian suzerainty. He died in the same year, and was succeeded by his juvenile son Apodakos.
Tiraios I was a king from 95/94 BC to 90/89 BC of Characene, a vassal state of the Parthians.
Tiraios II was a king who ruled from about 79/78 to 49/48 BC the state of Characene, a vassal state of the Parthians.
Artabazos I of Characene was a king of Characene, a vassal state of the Parthians, His short reign lasted only from 49/48-48/47 BC.
Attambelos I was a king of Characene, a Parthian vassal state and important trading port and emporium on the Persian Gulf. His rule was from 47/46 to 25/24BC.
Attambelos II was a king of Characene, a Parthian vassal state and important trading port on the Persian Gulf. His rule was from 17/16 to 9/8BC.
Maga was a King of Characene a vassal state of the Parthian Empire and important trading city in the Persian Gulf.
Orabazes II was a king of Characene a kingdom located at the head of the Persian Gulf. His reign was from 150/51 to 165. He was most likely a relative of the Parthian king Vologases IV.
Abinergaios II was a ruler of Characene, an ancient kingdom located at the head of the Persian Gulf in modern Iraq. He reigned around 170 AD and like most Characene rulers he is known only from his coins, on which the spelling of his name varies.
Attambelos IV of Characene was a first century ruler of the state of Characene, centered on the northern end of the Persian Gulf. His capital was probably Charax.
Attambelos V of Characene was a ruler of the state of Characene who ruled from 64/65–73/74 but who is known only from the coins he minted.
Wahbarz, known in Greek sources as Oborzos, was a dynast (frataraka) of Persis in the 1st half of the 2nd century BC, ruling from possibly c. 205 to 164 BC. His reign was marked by his efforts to establish Persis as a kingdom independent from Seleucid authority. He was able to reign independently for three decades, and even expanded to the west, seizing the Seleucid province of Characene. In 164 BC, the Seleucids repelled Wahbarz's forces from Characene, forcing him to re-submit as a Seleucid vassal. He was succeeded by Baydad.
Sagdodonacus was an Iranian officer, who served as the governor of Characene from c. 184 BC to 164 BC under suzerainty of the Frataraka rulers of Persis. He was the father of Hyspaosines.
Wadfradad II was a dynast (frataraka) of Persis in the late 2nd-century BC, ruling sometime after 138 BC. He was appointed as frataraka by the Parthian king Mithridates I, who granted him more autonomy, most likely in an effort to maintain healthy relations with Persis as the Parthian Empire was under constant conflict with the Saka, Seleucids, and Characene. The coinage of Wadfradad I shows influence from the coins minted under Mithridates I. Wadfradad I was succeeded by Darayan I, the first of the Kings of Persis.