themselves were quite uncertain as to the historicity of their accounts of this early period. There is a story that the first Parthian leader, Arsaces, was a Bactrian who became discontented with the rule of the satrap Diodotus of Bactria, invaded Parthia, and successfully fomented a revolt.[1] Still a third and more detailed version is to be found in Arrian,[2] according to which either Arsaces or Tiridates was insulted by the Seleucid satrap. The brothers thereupon took five men into their confidence, killed the offender, and persuaded the people to revolt. Without additional evidence it is impossible to determine the correct account.
The two brothers who led the revolt were reputed to be descendants of Arsaces[3] the son of Phriapites.[4] Later the Parthian kings claimed descent from Artaxerxes II, possibly to support the belief that they were continuing the glories of Achaemenian Iran.[5] Andragoras, satrap of Antiochus, apparently perished in the struggle. Arsaces may have been crowned in Asa-
- ↑ Strabo xi. 9. 3.
- ↑ Parthica fr. 1, quoted in Photius 58.
- ↑ To the discomfiture of historians both ancient and modern, all Parthian kings used this name as a title. See Justin xli. 5. 5–6; Strabo xv. 1. 36 and xvi. 1. 28; Moses Chor. ii. i; Amm. Marcel. xxiii. 6. 5. So regularly the Babylonian documents.
- ↑ Arrian Parthica fr. 1, quoted in Photius 58.
- ↑ Arrian Parthica fr. 1, quoted in Syncellus, p. 539. Cf. Tarn, "Queen Ptolemais and Apama," Classical Quarterly, XXIII (1929), 138–40, who feels the claim was made to substantiate the Arsacid control of the territory of the Seleucidae, who were also connected with the Persian line.
