Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene

Artavasdes II (* around or shortly before 59 BC; † shortly before 20 BC) was the son and successor of King Ariobarzanes I of Media Atropatene.

Life

When Parthian campaign of Marcus Antonius 36 BC Artavasdes was with the Parthian king Phraates allied IV. Anthony came first from Zeugma to the north over Armenia in the realm of Artavasdes ago because he did not want to attack from the west by the shortest route, but surprisingly from the north, the Parthian Empire. This strategy was the Anthony allegedly entered by Artavasdes II of Armenia, who was an enemy of the Median king of the same name. The triumvir moved with his troops by forced marches against the well-fortified capital atropatenische Phraaspa where Artavasdes had brought his family to safety. The Median king himself had gone to the army of Phraates. Anthony could not take Phraaspa and besieged the city. Meanwhile destroyed Artavasdes and Partherfeldherr Monaeses the two legions of a general Antony, Oppius Statianus, who had moved here with the siege machines slowly behind Antony's army. Without these machines but the storming of Phraaspa was almost hopeless, so that Anthony had to withdraw and not made ​​it to the Parthian Empire.

Although Artavasdes had argued against the Romans, but his kingdom had been wrecked and its stronger ally, Phraates IV, treated him condescendingly and kept most of the loot for themselves. Therefore, the Median king offered in 35 BC by the mediation of the Pontic king Polemon I. Antony formed an alliance against the Parthians in which this gladly accepted. To deepen the friendship was (34 BC), engaged by the campaign of Armenia triumvirs whose son of Cleopatra VII, Alexander Helios Artavasdes ' daughter Iotape, although both were still toddlers. On river Araxes Antonius 33 BC met with his coalition partners. Under the agreement, Anthony should support the Artavasdes against the Parthians, and conversely the Median king of the Romans against Octavian. Both exchanged among themselves troops. The realm of Artavasdes has been extended to parts of Armenia, during the Roman commander was given back in a Parthian abgejagtes by the Medes the Oppius Statianus field characters and could take Iotape. First, Artavasdes could with the Roman auxiliary troops of Antonius, claim against an attack by the Parthians and their candidate on the Armenian throne, Artaxes. But when Anthony before the battle of Actium back ordered his soldiers, but the Median auxiliary troops home did not send back, defeated and taken the Parthians the Artavasdes (30 BC) and were also masters of the media and Armenia.

It succeeded Artavasdes to escape from his captivity to Augustus, who kindly received him, his daughter Iotape returned and made the client king of Lesser Armenia. He died shortly before 20 BC at the age of 39 years, apparently in Rome.