Abdagases I (

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

: Ἀβδαγάσης, epigraphically ΑΒΔΑΓΑΣΟΥ;

Kharosthi Kharosthi script (), also known as the Gandhari script (), was an ancient script originally developed in the Gandhara Region of modern-day Pakistan, between the 5th and 3rd century BCE. used primarily by the people of Gandhara alongside vari ...

: 𐨀𐨬𐨡𐨒𐨮 ', 'Gardner, Percy, ''The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum'', p. 107-108) was an Indo-Parthian king, who ruled

Gandhara Gandhara () was an ancient Indo-Aryan people, Indo-Aryan civilization in present-day northwest Pakistan and northeast Afghanistan. The core of the region of Gandhara was the Peshawar valley, Peshawar (Pushkalawati) and Swat valleys extending ...

and possibly over most of the Indus region from c. 46 to 60 AD. He was a nephew and successor of Gondophares, who had laid foundations for the Indo-Parthian kingdom after revolting against his Arsacid overlords in c. 19 AD. Abdagases was succeeded by Orthaghnes or Pacores.

Life

Abdagases' origins are unknown. It has been argued that he belonged to the House of Suren, a prominent and influential family within the Arsacid Empire. Because the title Gondophernes has been attributed to that dynasty without sufficient proof. But no other proof related to this argument has been found. He succeeded his uncle Gondophares as the ruler of

in c. 46 AD, whilst Orthagnes succeeded him at Drangiana and Arachosia. The figure of Abdagases is obscure; according to Gazerani, it is likely that Abdagases may have been the same person as another Abdagases, an influential and powerful Suren noble in the Arsacid Empire, who belonged to a faction of Parthian magnates that were dissatisfied with the Parthian king Artabanus II. The Parthian magnates had at first favoured a grandson of

Phraates IV Phraates IV (also spelled Frahad IV; ''Frahāt'') was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 37 to 2 BC. He was the son and successor of Orodes II (), and was given the throne after the death of his brother Pacorus I. Phraates IV soon mur ...

, also named Phraates as a better choice for king. However, he met an abrupt death in

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. The Parthian magnates then turned to another prince, Tiridates III, who was crowned by Abdagases. Some of the Parthian magnates, however, were supporters of Artabanus II, due to their concern that Abdagases would become the '' de facto'' ruler of the Arsacid Empire, with Tiridates as a

figurehead In politics, a figurehead is a practice of who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet '' de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that ...

. As a result, Abdagases and his son Sinnacus withdrew their support from Tiridates as well. This event seems to have coincided with the declaration of independence in Sakastan by the Suren family under Gondophares. The identification of the two Abdagases figures, although supported by some scholars, nevertheless still remains indecisive, due to the lack of numismatic evidence. Abdagases ruled as king till c. 60 AD, and was succeeded by Orthagnes or Pacores.

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External links

Coins of Abdagases
Indo-Parthian kings 1st-century monarchs in Asia 60 deaths Year of birth unknown 1st-century Iranian people {{Indo-Parthian kings