Parthian Dark Age
The so-called "Parthian Dark Age" refers to a period of three decades in the history of
Orodes II in 57 BC,[1][2] with various date ranges being mentioned by scholars.[3][4][5] It is called a "Dark Age" due to a lack of clear information on the events of this period in the empire, except a series of, apparently overlapping, reigns.[5]
No written source describing this period has survived, and scholars have been unable to clearly reconstruct the succession of rulers and their regnal years using the existing numismatic sources due to their ambiguities. No legal or administrative document from this period has been preserved.[3] Multiple theories have been proposed to partially address this numismatic problem.[1]
Based on the classical sources, the names of the rulers in this period are
Orodes (II), the sons of Phraates III, and a certain Darius (I),[1] ruler of Media[6] (or Media Atropatene?). Two other names, Gotarzes (I) and Orodes (I) are attested in dated cuneiform tablets from Babylon.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Vardanyan, Ruben (2006). "Some remarks on the arrangement of the Parthian "Dark Age" coin series" (PDF). Parthica: Incontri di Culture Nel Mondo Antico. 8. Retrieved 11 March 2020.[dead link]
- S2CID 161619682.
- ^ ISBN 978-90-429-1449-0.
- ISBN 978-1-57506-094-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84415-676-4.
- ^ "AZERBAIJAN iii. Pre-Islamic History – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2020.