Vardanes

Coin des Vardanes

Vardanes was a Parthian king who ruled from AD 38 to about 45. He was the brother of King Gotarzes II with whom he fought for rule in the Parthian Empire. Gotarzes II, who was originally supposed to rule as the sole king, stood out for his cruelty, so that the Parthians raised Vardanes as the opposing king.

Vardanes seems to have gained the upper hand at first and chased Gotarzes II away. Vardanes continued to besiege Seleukia on the Tigris , which had made itself independent under Artabanos II . Its basis was the ctesiphon located at the gates of the city, which has now been converted into a winter residence. In the year 40 the two brothers finally came to an agreement and divided the rule in the empire, with Vardanes, probably rather involuntarily, going to Bactria and conquering new provinces in the east of the Parthian Empire. In 42, Seleukia gave up voluntarily on the Tigris. Shortly thereafter, the two brothers fell into conflict again, from which Gotarzes II emerged victorious and Vardanes was murdered after he had returned from the east of the empire to the west and had himself celebrated there as a victor.

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• Tacitus : Annalen , XI, 8-10

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predecessor	Office	successor
Artabanos II.	King of the Parthian Empire 38–45	Gotarzes II.