Artavasdes I was a king of Media Atropatene.[1] As an enemy of Artavasdes II of Armenia and his son Artaxias II, Artavasdes I was mentioned in diplomatic affairs of Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Mark Anthony
When Mark Antony led his campaign against Parthia in 36 BC, Artavasdes I was the ally of the Parthian king Phraates IV. Antony led his troops from Zeugma northward into Armenia and then invaded the domain of Artavasdes I. Antony did not want to attack Parthia from the west, which was the shortest way, but surprisingly from the north. Antony allegedly used this strategy on the advice of Artavasdes II of Armenia, the enemy of Artavasdes I.[3] Antony moved with his army in fast marches to Phraaspa, the strong fortified capital of Media Atropatene, where Artavasdes I had got his family to safety. Meantime Artavasdes I had joined the army of Phraates IV. Antony was not able to take Phraaspa and besieged the city, but Artavasdes I and the Parthian commander Monaeses destroyed two legions of Antony's general, Oppius Statianus, who had slowly followed with the siege machines of the Antony's troops. Antony could not capture Phraaspa without these machines. Therefore he had to withdraw and Parthia was not invaded.[4]
So Artavasdes I had maintained his ground against the Romans but his domain had been severely ravaged. Besides his stronger ally Phraates IV treated him condescending and gave him only little booty. Therefore in 35 BC Artavasdes I offered Antony an alliance against Parthia, and Antony gladly accepted.[5] To deepen this friendship Alexander Helios, the son of Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt, was betrothed to Artavasdes daughter Iotapa, although both were infants (34 BC).[6]
In 33 BC Antony met his coalition partner on the river Araxes; they agreed that Antony should support Artavasdes I against Parthia and that the Median king should help Antony against Octavian. They interchanged parts of their troops. The domain of Artavasdes I was enlarged with parts of Armenia. Antony had returned a standard that the Median king had taken from Oppius Statianus in 36 BC, and also took Iotape along with him. With the help of the Roman reinforcements Artavasdes I was initially able to repulse the Parthian attack. But before the Battle of Actium Antony called back his Roman troops without sending back the Median reinforcements. This time Phraates IV defeated Artavasdes who was captured in 30 BC.[7]
Artavasdes finally escaped to Augustus who received him friendly,[8] gave him back his daughter Iotapa[9] and made him a client king of Lesser Armenia.[10] He died shortly before 20 BC at the age of 39 years, probably at Rome.[11]
Family
Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene was the son and successor of king Ariobarzanes I. He was a son-in-law of Antiochus I Theos of Commagene. His children included Ariobarzanes II, Iotapa, who was engaged to Alexander Helios and later married Mithridates III of Commagene, and Darius, who was mentioned to be the father of Artabanus II of Parthia.
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