Editing Mithridates II of Parthia (section)

{{Infobox royalty
| name        = Mithridates II<br>{{nobold|{{lang|xpr|𐭌𐭄𐭓𐭃𐭕|italic=no}}}}
| title       = [[King of Kings]]
| image       = Coin of Mithridates II of Parthia, Ray mint.jpg
| caption     = [[Ancient drachma|Drachm]] of Mithridates II wearing a bejeweled [[tiara]] of [[Media (region)|Median]] heritage. Minted at [[Rhages]] between 96-92 BC
| succession  = King of the [[Parthian Empire]]
| reign       = 124 – 91 BC
| predecessor = [[Artabanus I of Parthia|Artabanus I]]
| successor   = [[Gotarzes I]]
| dynasty     = [[Arsacid dynasty of Parthia|Arsacid dynasty]]
| father      = [[Artabanus I of Parthia|Artabanus I]] or [[Priapatius]]
| spouse      =
| issue       = [[Gotarzes I]]<br>[[Mithridates III of Parthia|Mithridates III]]
| birth_date  =
| birth_place =
| death_date  = 91 BC
| death_place =
| religion    = [[Zoroastrianism]]
}}
'''Mithridates II''' (also spelled '''Mithradates II''' or '''Mihrdad II'''; {{langx|xpr|𐭌𐭄𐭓𐭃𐭕}} ''Mihrdāt'') was king of the [[Parthian Empire]] from 124 to 91 BC. Considered one of the greatest of his dynasty to ever rule, he was known as '''Mithridates the Great''' in antiquity.

Mithridates II was crowned king after the abrupt death of his predecessor [[Artabanus I of Parthia|Artabanus I]]. Inheriting a declining empire that was reeling from military pressure in both the east and west, Mithridates II quickly stabilized the situation in Mesopotamia by gaining the allegiance of [[Characene]], and subduing the insurgent [[Elymais|Kingdom of Elymais]] and also the [[Arabs]], who had continuously raided [[Babylonia]]. Mithridates II was the first Parthian king to extend Parthian rule into the [[Caucasus]], where the kingdoms of [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]], [[Kingdom of Iberia (antiquity)|Iberia]], and possibly [[Caucasian Albania]] became Parthian vassal states. To the east, he defeated and conquered the nomadic tribes in [[Bactria]] who had killed both of his predecessors. [[Sakastan]] was also reconquered, which was given as a fiefdom to the [[House of Suren]]. In 114/113 BC, he seized [[Dura-Europos]] in [[Syria (region)|Syria]] from the [[Seleucids]], and by 95 BC, the northern Mesopotamian kingdoms of [[Adiabene]], [[Gordyene]], and [[Osrhoene]] had acknowledged his authority. Under Mithridates II, the Parthian Empire at its zenith extended from Syria and the Caucasus to [[Central Asia]] and [[Indian subcontinent|India]]. It was under Mithridates II that the Parthian Empire for the first time established diplomatic relations with [[Roman Republic|Rome]] and [[Han dynasty|Han China]].

A champion of [[Achaemenid]] traditions, Mithridates II was determined to emphasize the association of the ruling Arsacid dynasty with the Iranian Achaemenid Empire. He was the first Parthian monarch to regularly use the title [[King of Kings]], and portray himself with an Iranian [[tiara]] on the obverse of his [[Parthian coinage|coins]], contrary to the [[Hellenistic]] [[diadem]] used by his earlier predecessors. He also replaced the ''[[omphalos]]'' on the reverse of his coins with a highbacked throne of Achaemenid origin.