10 Facts About Vardanes I

Vardanes I was a king of the Parthian Empire from 40 to 46 AD.

Vardanes I was the heir apparent of his father Artabanus II, but had to continually fight against his brother Gotarzes II, a rival claimant to the throne.

An uproar against this execution shortly followed, with an appeal being sent to Vardanes I, who took Gotarzes by surprise and defeated him, after travelling 375 miles in two days.

Vardanes I was supported by the governors of the neighbouring Parthian provinces, and quickly gained control over most of the Parthian realm.

However, the long siege of Seleucia resulted in Gotarzes gaining the upper hand in the conflict, allowing him to raise a new force and drive off Vardanes I, who fled to Bactria in Central Asia.

Under the accord Vardanes I was to keep his crown, while Gotarzes became the ruler of Hyrcania.

Vardanes I significantly reduced the autonomy of the city and removed its privilege to mint its own coins.

Around the same time, the Greek philosopher Apollonius of Tyana visited the court of Vardanes I, who provided him with the protection of a caravan as he travelled to the realm of the Indo-Parthians.

Vardanes I defeated Gotarzes on the Erindes, a river situated on the Media-Hyrcania border.

Vardanes I then proceeded to conquer the remaining Parthian provinces, reaching as far as Aria.