Editing Mithridates I of Parthia (section)

{{Short description|King of Parthian Empire, 165–132 BC}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Mithridates I<br>{{lang|xpr|𐭌𐭄𐭓𐭃𐭕}}
| title        = [[King of Kings]], [[Arsaces]], Philhellene
| image        = Coin of Mithradates I of Parthia, Seleucia mint.jpg
| image_size   = 
| caption      = Mithridates I's portrait on the obverse of a [[tetradrachm]], showing him wearing a beard and a royal Hellenistic [[diadem]] on his head
| succession   = King of the [[Parthian Empire]]
| reign        = 165–132 BC
| predecessor  = [[Phraates I]]
| successor    = [[Phraates II]]
| spouse       = [[Rinnu]]
| dynasty      = [[Arsacid dynasty of Parthia|Arsacid dynasty]]
| issue        = [[Rhodogune of Parthia|Rhodogune]]<br>[[Phraates II]]
| father       = [[Priapatius]]
| birth_date   = 
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = 132 BC
| death_place  = 
| religion     = 
}}
'''Mithridates I''' (also spelled '''Mithradates I''' or '''Mihrdad I'''; {{langx|xpr|𐭌𐭄𐭓𐭃𐭕}} ''Mihrdāt''), also known as '''Mithridates I the Great''',{{sfn|Dąbrowa|2012|p=169}} was king of the [[Parthian Empire]] from 165 BC to 132 BC. During his reign, Parthia was transformed from a small kingdom into a major political power in the [[Ancient East]] as a result of his conquests.{{sfn|Frye|1984|p=211}} He first conquered [[Aria (region)|Aria]], [[Margiana]] and western [[Bactria]] from the [[Greco-Bactrians]] sometime in 163–155 BC, and then waged war with the [[Seleucid Empire]], conquering [[Media (region)|Media]] and [[Atropatene]] in 148/7 BC. In 141 BC, he conquered [[Babylonia]] and held an official investiture ceremony in [[Seleucia]]. The kingdoms of [[Elymais]] and [[Characene]] shortly afterwards became Parthian vassals. In {{circa|140}} BC, while Mithridates was fighting the nomadic [[Saka]] in the east, the Seleucid king [[Demetrius II Nicator]] attempted to regain the lost territories; initially successful, he was defeated and captured in 138 BC, and shortly afterwards sent to one of Mithridates I's palaces in [[Hyrcania]]. Mithridates I then punished Elymais for aiding Demetrius, and made [[Persis]] a Parthian vassal.

Mithridates I was the first Parthian king to assume the ancient [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] title of [[King of Kings]]. Due to his accomplishments, he has been compared to [[Cyrus the Great]] ({{reign|550|530|era=BC}}), the founder of the Achaemenid Empire.{{sfn|Katouzian|2009|p=41}} Mithridates I died in 132 BC, and was succeeded by his son [[Phraates II]].