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Zoroastrian Heritage

Author: K. E. Eduljee

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Contents

Rulers of Ancient Iran
Timelines

Median

Achaemenian

Macedonian

Seleucid

Arsacid (Parthian)

Sassanian

Median Timelines

According to Eusebius (e), Herodotus and Ctesias (Deioces united the Median tribes Busae, Paretaceni, Struchates, Arizanti, Budii, and Magi):

Reign BCERuler Name: Median* / Greek or Latin
*Old Persian 		Lineage
28 yearsArbaces (e)
20 yearsMaudaces (e)
30 yearsSosarmus (e)
30 yearsArtycas (e)
? Other rulers Arbianes and Artseus
?Fravartish I / Phraortes I (or Kyaxares?)
728-675Dahyu-ka (?) / Deiocesson of Kyaxares or Phraortes?
grandson of Deioces?
675-653 Fravartish II / Phraortes IIson of Deioces
653-625 ? / Madius - Scythian interregnum
625-585 Hvakhshathra, Uvakhshtra* / Cyaxares
*Khusru / Kaikhusrou (Kurdish / Persian)		son of Phraortes
585-550 Rishti-Vaiga* / Astyages
*Ishtovigu (Persian)		son of Uvakhshtra / Cyaxares
550 Media under Persian king Cyrus II

According to Assyrian cuneiform and local sources:

Reign BCERuler Name: Median / AssyrianLineage
mid 700's-728Kshatrita (ruler of Kar Kashi) / ?
709-656
r. 701-665 		Dahyu-ka (?) / Daiukku (Elamite Dayaukku)
665/4-633 Fravartish (Pr. Kshatrita) / Kashtaritison of Dayaukku
633-585 Hvakshatra or Uvakshatra / Uksatarson of Fravartish
585-550 Rishti-Vaiga / Ishtumeguson of Uvakshatra
550 Media under Persian king Cyrus II


Achaemenian Timelines

Reign BCERuler Name: Persian/Greek or LatinLineage
 ? - 675 Hakhamanishiya (Hakhmanish)/Achaemenes
founder
675-640 Chishpish (Chispaish)/Teispesson of Hakhamanishiya/Achaemenes
640-590 Ariyaramna/Ariaramnes - founder first lineson of Chishpish/Teispes
640-600 Kurush I/Cyrus I - founder second lineson of Chishpish/Teispes
  ? -  ? Arshama/Arsames - first lineson of Ariyaramna/Ariaramnes
600-559 Kabujiya I (later Kambiz)/Cambyses I - second line   son of Kurush/Cyrus I
559-530 Kurush II/Cyrus II (the Great) - second lineson of Kabujiya/Cambyses I
530-522 Kabujiya II/Cambyses IIson of Kurush/Cyrus II - second line. Murdered his brother Bardiya/Smerdis & committed suicide ending the second line
522Gaumata the MagusPretended to be Bardiya/Smerdis son of Kurush II/Cyrus II. Deposed by Darius I
522-486 Darayavahush/Darius I (the Great) - first linegrandson of Arshama/Arsames &
son of Vishtasp
486-466 Khshayarsha/Xerxes Ison of Darayavahush/Darius I
466-465 Artabanes/
465-425 Artakhshassa/Artaxerxes Ison of Khshayarsha I
425-424 Khshayarsha/Xerxes IIson of Artakhshassa I
424-423 Secydianus/Sogdianusson of Artakhshassa I
423-404 Darayavahush/Darius IIson of Artakhshassa I
404-359 Artakhshassa/Artaxerxes IIson of Darayavahush II
359-338 Artakhshassa/Artaxerxes IIIson of Artakhshassa II
338-336 Arsha/Arses (Artaxerxes IV)son of Artakhshassa III
336-330 Darayavahush/Darius IIIgreat grandsonson of Darayavahush II


Macedonian Timelines

Reign BCERuler Name: GreekLineage
330-323Alexander
323-316Philip
316-312
d. 301		Antigonus the one-eye
Alexander's general Seleucus becomes king of the eastern Macedonian empire


Seleucid Timelines

Reign BCERuler Name: GreekLineage
312-280Seleucus I (founder)
280-261Antiochus I Soterson of Seleucus
261-246Antiochus II Theos
246End of Seleucid rule in eastern empire i.e. Bactria + Parthian revolt
246-225Seleucus II
225-223Seleucus III
223-187Antiochus III
209Seleucid's bring Parthia back briefly under their rule
187-175Seleucus IV
175-164/3Antiochus IV Epiphanes
164/3-162Antiochus V
150-145Alexander Balas
145-141
d. 125		Demetrius II Nicator
141Arsacid Mithridates takes Selucia-on-theTigris
140Demetrius II attacks Parthians. Defeated & taken prisoner
129Antiochus VII attacks Parthia but is defeated and killed


Arsacid (Parthian) Timelines

Parthia was an Aryan /Iranian state. Arsacid is the name of a Parthian dynasty founded by Arsaces.

Reign BCERuler Name: Parthian/Greek or LatinLineage
c.247-211Arshak/Arsaces I (founder)
c.211-191Arshak/Arsaces II (often called Artabanus I)son of Arsaces I
According to this naming system, the last Arsacid king is Artabanus IV. Otherwise the last king is Artabanus V.
c.191-176Friapat, Friapatak/Phriapatiusgrandson of Tirdat/Tiridates (246-211 BCE), son of Arsaces I
185Arsacid expansion into eastern Iran
c.176-171Frahata/Phraates Ison of Phriapatius
c.171-138Mithradat(a)/Mithridates I Philhelleneson of Phriapatius
144Mithridates takes Babylon
141Mithridates takes Selucia-on-theTigris & Media
139Mithridates takes Persia
re-establishes the old Persian/Iran empire
c.138-127Frahata/Phraates IIson of Phraates I
c.127-124Ardaban, Artapāna, Ardavan/Artabanus Ison of Phriapatius
124-88Mithradat(a)/Mithridates II opposed by Godarzson of Artabanus I
115Mithradates II receives envoy from Chinese emperor
106Trading caravans bring silk to Parthia, take horses to China
c.95-90Rival Claimant: Godarz/Gotarzes I (in Atropatene c95-87)gransdson of Phriapatius
90-80co-ruler? Urud, Viroy/Orodes I

?

95Parthians sign friendship treaty with Sylla, fixing western frontier as Euphrates
80Rival Claimant: name unknown
80-70Name unknown
77-70Rival Claimant: Santruk/Sinatruces

?

70-57Frahata/Phraates IIIson of Sinatruces
70Rival Claimant: Darius of Media Atropatene
57-54Mithradat(a)/Mithridates III (in Atropatene 65-58)son of Phraates III
57-38Urud, Viroy/Orodes II (in Elymais c56/5-c45)son of Phraates III
53Orodes defeats Romans and extends empire from Mediterranean to the Indus
51-39Co-ruler: Pakur/Pacorus Ison of Orodes II
37-29
d. 2 BCE		Frahata/Phraates IV (in Elymais c35-2)son of Orodes II
29-27Tiridata, Tirdad/Tiridates I
27-2Frahata/Phraates IV (restored)
2 BCE-4 CEFrahata/Phraates V or Phraatacesson of Phraates IV
Reign CE
4-7Urud, Viroy/Orodes III

?

7-12 d.17Vonun, Vahunam/Vonones I (in Armenia 16-17) opposed by:son of Phraates IV
10-38Ardaban, Artapāna, Ardavan/Artabanus II (in Atropatene c20-38) opposed by:

?

35-36Tiridata, Tirdad/Tiridates IIgrandson of Phraates IV
38-51Godarz/Gotarzes IIson of Artabanus II
47Parthians displace northern Sakas in Kandahar
c39-47Vartan, Vardan, Bardan/Vardanes Ison of Artabanus II
50-65Santruk/Sanabares
51Vonun, Vahunam/Vonones II (in Atropatene c38 ?-51)

?

51-78Valgash/Vologases I opposed by:son of Vonones II
55-58Vartan, Vardan, Bardan/Vardanes II

?

77-80Valgash/Vologeses II opposed by:

?

78-105Pacur/Pacorus II opposed by:

?

80-90Ardaban, Artapāna, Ardavan/Artabanus III

?

105-147Valgash/Vologases III

?

109-129Khasrau/Osroes or Chosroes I

?

116Parthamaspata/Parthamaspatesson of Chosroes I
140Mithradat(a)/Mithridates IV

?

140King, name unknown
147-191Valgash/Vologeses IV opposed by:son of Mithridates IV
190Khasrau/Osroes or Chosroes II

?

191-208Valgash/Vologeses V the Great (king of Armenia 180-191)

?

208-228Valgash/Vologeses VIson of Vologeses V
216-224/6Ardaban, Artapāna, Ardavan/Artabanus IV (king of Atropatene in 216)son of Vologeses V
224 or 226Ardaban/Artabanus IV defeated and killed by Sassanian Ardashir I. However, the Arscaids ruled to rule in the western provinces (Seleucia on the Tigris) and struck coins as late as 229 CE. The existing of Vologeses VI is mentioned in some texts.
224-229Artavazd/Artavasdesa son of Artabanus IV


Sassanian Timelines

Reign CERuler Name: PersianLineage
c200Sassanian Papak/Babak revolts against Arsacids in Pars
224 or 226Parthian King Ardaban/Artabanus V battles Papak's son Ardashir, is defeated and killed.
224/6-241Ardashir (Ardeshir) I (Ardashir-e-Papagan)son of Papak
241-272Shapur (Shahpur) Ison of Ardashir I
272-273Hormazd Ison of Shapur I
273-276Bahram (Varahran) Ison of Ardashir I
276-293Bahram (Varahran) IIson of Bahram I
293Bahram (Varahran) IIIson of Hormazd I
293-303Narses (Naresh)son of Shapur I
303-310Hormazd IIson of Narses
310Adarnarseh
310-379Shapur IIson of Hormazd II
379-383Ardashir IIson of Hormazd II
383-388Shapur IIIson of Shapur II
388-399Bahram IVson of Shapur II
399-420Yazdegerd Ison of Shapur III
420 Khusrau the Usurper
420-438Bahram V the Wild Assson of Shapur III
438-457Yazdegerd IIson of Bahram V
457 Hormazd IIIson of Yazdegerd II
457-484Firuz (Piruz) Ison of Yazdegerd II
484-488Balash (Valaksh)son of Yazdegerd II
488-497Kobad Ison of Firuz I
497-499Zamaspson of Firuz I
499-531Kobad I (restored)son of Firuz I
531-579Khusrau I the Justson of Kobad I
579-590Hormazd IVson of Khusrau I
590 Khusrau II the Victoriousson of Hormazd IV
590-591Bahram VI Chobin the Usurper
591-628Khusrau II the Victorious (restored)opposed by:
son of Hormazd IV
591-592Bistam (Vistakhm) the Usurper (in Media)
593 Hormazd (V) the Usurper
628 Kobad II Sheroeson of Khusrau II
628-630Ardashir IIIson of Kobad II
630 Shahrbaraz the Usurper
630 Khusrau IIIson of Hormazd IV
630 Juvansher
630-631Borandurht (Puranbokht) (Queen)daughter of Khusrau II
631 Gushnasp bandehson of Hormazd IV
631 Azarmidurht (Queen)daughter of Khusrau II
631-632Hormazd V (in Nisibis) opposing:grandson of Khusrau II
632 Firuz IIgrandson of Khusrau II
631 Firuz III Gushnasp
632 Khusrau IVgrandson of Khusrau II
632-633Khusrau V
633Arab invade Sassanian Iraq
633-649Yazdegird IIIgrandson of Khusrau II
636Persian defeat at battle of Qadisiyyah (now in S. Central Iraq)
642Arabs cross Zagros and invade Persia
642Persian defeat at battle of Nahavand (near Hamadan)
649End of Zoroastrian rule in Iran / Persia
651 or 652Yazdegird III murdered in Merv

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