Orodes of Armenia

For other Parthian Monarchs of this name, see

Orodes of Armenia (flourished 1st century) was a Parthian Prince of Iranian and Greek ancestry who served as a Roman Client King of Armenia in 35 and from again 37 until 42. Orodes was the second born son of the Parthian King Artabanus III by an unnamed wife. He was born and raised in the Parthian Empire. Orodes was the namesake of his Parthian relations who ruled with this name as King.

In 35 after the death of his older brother Arsaces I, who served briefly as Roman Client King of Armenia, Artabanus III installed him as the new King of Armenia. When Orodes arrived in Armenia, Orodes avenged the death of Arsaces I by executing the bribed servants who poisoned Arsaces I.

As this time the Roman emperor Tiberius, refused to accept the Armenian Kingship of Orodes and Tiberius appointed the Iberian Prince Mithridates as the new Roman Client Armenian King with the support of his brother, King Pharasmanes I of Iberia.

Orodes faced Mithridates in a military campaign in Armenia that was in unfavorable conditions for Orodes. In the military campaign, Pharasmanes I had sent his own troops and mercenaries to assist Mithridates. Orodes had the support of the Parthian army. Orodes had lost his military campaign against Mithridates in which he may have been injured and returned to Parthia.

Mithridates then became the new Roman Client King of Armenia later in 35. In 37, Mithridates was arrested by the Roman emperor Caligula for unknown reasons and Orodes in 37 was restored to his Armenian Kingship. He reigned from 37 until 42 and little is known on his reign. In 42, the Roman Emperor Claudius replaced Orodes for unknown reasons and installed again Mithridates as the new Roman Client King of Armenia.

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