Tiridates

Tiridates, or Teridates is a Persian name, given by Arrian in his Parthica (preserved by Photius, cod. 58, and Syncellus, p. 539 seq.) to the brother of Arsaces I, the founder of the Parthian kingdom, whom he is said to have succeeded. But Arrian’s account seems to be quite unhistorical.

The king commonly called Tiridates II was set up by the Parthians against Phraates IV in 32 BC, but expelled when Phraates returned with the help of the Scythians (Dio Cass li. i8; Justin xlii. 5 seq.; cf. Horace, Oct. i. 26). Tiridates fled to Syria, where Augustus allowed him to stay, but refused to support him.

During the next years Tiridates invaded Parthia again; some coins dated from March and May, 26 BC, with the name of a king "Arsaces Phioromaios," belong to him; on the reverse they show the king seated on the throne, with Tyche stretching out a palm branch towards him. He was soon expelled again, and brought a son of Phraates into Spain to Augustus. Augustus gave the boy back to his father, but declined to surrender "the fugitive slave Tinidates."

This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.