73 Mithridates of Pontus appeals in vain to both Sinatruces and Tigranes for help against Rome.
70 Phraates III succeeds his father.
69 Phraates declines to help Mithridates of Pontus, whom Tigranes has joined. Tigranes offers to restore his Median conquests to Phraates if he will assist. Phraates hesitates, but
66 accepts overtures of Pompey, and, with the younger Tigranes, who has quarrelled with his father, prepares to invade Armenia. Phraates besieges Artaxarta, but leaves the younger Tigranes to continue. Defeat of Tigranes by his father. The former flees to Pompey. The elder Tigranes surrenders to Pompey, and the younger is put in chains. Phraates demands Tigranes’ deliverance, but it is refused. Phraates recovers Media and resumes title “king of kings.”
64 While Pompey is in Syria, Phraates attacks and defeats the elder Tigranes. Pompey refuses to interfere, but sends umpires to settle the dispute.
57 Murder of Phraates by his two sons, who divide the kingdom. Orodes or Hyrodes I takes Parthia, and Mithridates III takes Media. The latter is soon expelled for his cruelty, and Orodes reigns alone. Mithridates expects the Romans to restore him, but they are compelled to go to Egypt to restore Ptolemy XI.
55 He attacks Orodes alone, who flees, but with the help of Surenas,
54 captures Mithridates in Babylon and puts him to death. Crassus takes advantage of this civil strife to invade Parthia.
53 Great defeat of the Romans at Carrhæ by Surenas. Orodes makes peace with Armenia. He puts Surenas to death through jealousy.