Mithradates II
Mithradates II, also known as Mithradates the Great, was a significant king of the Parthian Empire who reigned from 124-123 BCE. Ascending to the throne after the death of his father, King Artabanus I, Mithradates II faced immediate challenges as Parthia was under attack from multiple fronts. Demonstrating military prowess, he successfully reconquered former provinces and expanded Parthia's territory, establishing control from the Euphrates River in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east.
He is noted for his political maneuvers, including capturing Tigranes the Great, the son of the Armenian king, and positioning him on the Armenian throne. Mithradates II also played a role in intervening in the Seleucid civil war and established diplomatic relations with the Han Dynasty of China, thereby reopening the Silk Road. His reign was marked by reforms that included the division of the kingdom into satrapies and a significant restructuring of the Parthian military, favoring cavalry tactics over Greek strategies. These military reforms contributed to Parthia's victory over Rome at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BCE, solidifying Mithradates II's legacy as a formidable leader who elevated Parthia to a position of great power in the ancient world.
Mithradates II
Related civilizations: Parthia, Republican Rome, Hellenistic Greece
Major role/position: King, political and military leader
Life
The son of King Artabanus I, Mithradates II (mihth-rah-DAYT-eez) became king in 124-123 b.c.e., when his father died, while Parthia was under attack from all sides. He reconquered all of Parthia’s former provinces and more. By the end of his reign, Parthia spanned from the Euphrates River in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east. He took captive Tigranes the Great, son of the Armenian king, and later placed him on the Armenian throne. He also intervened in the Seleucid civil war in 88 b.c.e.
Mithradates increased the prestige of Parthia by entertaining ambassadors of the Han Dynasty from China and reopening the Silk Road to China. He later concluded a short-lived offensive and defensive alliance with the Roman general Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
He was responsible for several reforms. He divided his kingdom among four satraps and assumed the title “king of kings,” consciously imitating the Persian Empire. He also reformed the Parthian army, abandoning Greek tactics and adopting Iranian tactics that emphasized cavalry. The bulk of the Parthian army was divided between the horse archer and the armored cataphract (spearmen). These changes led to the Parthian victory over the Romans at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 b.c.e.
Influence
Mithradates made Parthia one of the world’s great powers. He reorganized its government and reformed its army so that it was an even match for Rome.
Bibliography
Colledge, Malcom A. R., ed. The Parthian Period. Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1986.
Lerner, J. D. The Impact of Seleucid Decline on the Eastern Iranian Plateau. Stuttgart, Germany: F. Steiner, 1999.