Editing Mithridates I of Parthia (section)

===Wars in the west===
[[Image:Parthian Babylonia and its surroundings.svg|thumb|Map of [[Babylonia]] and its surroundings in the 2nd-century BC]]
Turning his sights on the Seleucid realm, Mithridates I invaded [[Media (region)|Media]] and occupied [[Ecbatana]] in 148 or 147&nbsp;BC; the region had recently become unstable after the Seleucids suppressed a rebellion led by [[Timarchus]].<ref>{{harvnb|Curtis|2007|pp=10–11}}; {{harvnb|Bivar|1983|p=33}}; {{harvnb|Garthwaite|2005|p=76}}</ref> Mithridates I afterwards appointed his brother [[Bagasis]] as the governor of the area.{{sfn|Shayegan|2011|pp=72–74}} This victory was followed by the Parthian conquest of Media Atropatene.{{sfn|Olbrycht|2010|pp=239–240}}{{sfn|Dąbrowa|2010|p=28}} In 141 BC, Mithridates I captured [[Babylonia]] in [[Mesopotamia]], where he had coins minted at [[Seleucia]] and held an official [[investiture]] ceremony.<ref name="curtis_2007_10-11 brosius_2006_86-87 Bivar_1983_34 Garthwaite_2005_76">{{harvnb|Curtis|2007|pp=10–11}}; {{harvnb|Brosius|2006|pp=86–87}}; {{harvnb|Bivar|1983|p=34}}; {{harvnb|Garthwaite|2005|p=76}};</ref> There Mithridates I appears to have introduced a parade of the [[Akitu|New Year festival]] in [[Babylon]], by which a [[Statue of Marduk|statue]] of the ancient Mesopotamian god [[Marduk]] was led along parade way from the [[Esagila]] temple by holding the hands of the goddess [[Inanna|Ishtar]].{{sfn|Shayegan|2011|p=67}} With Mesopotamia now in Parthian hands, the administrative focus of the empire relocated towards there instead of eastern Iran.{{sfn|Canepa|2018|p=70}} Mithridates I shortly afterwards retired to Hyrcania, whilst his forces subdued the kingdoms of [[Elymais]] and [[Characene]] and occupied [[Susa]].<ref name="curtis_2007_10-11 brosius_2006_86-87 Bivar_1983_34 Garthwaite_2005_76"/> By this time, Parthian authority extended as far east as the [[Indus River]].<ref>{{harvnb|Garthwaite|2005|p=76}}; {{harvnb|Bivar|1983|p=35}}</ref>
[[Image:Coin of Demetrius II Nicator, Ptolemais in Phoenicia mint.jpg|thumb|left|[[Tetradrachm]] of [[Demetrius II Nicator]], ''[[basileus]]'' of the [[Seleucid Empire]]]] 
Whereas [[Hecatompylos]] had served as the first Parthian capital, Mithridates I established royal residences at Seleucia, Ecbatana, [[Ctesiphon]] and his newly founded city, Mithradatkert ([[Nisa, Turkmenistan|Nisa]]), where the tombs of the Arsacid kings were built and maintained.<ref>{{harvnb|Brosius|2006|pp=103, 110–113}}</ref> Ecbatana became the main summertime residence for the Arsacid royalty — the same city which had served as the capital of the [[Medes]] and as summer capital of the Achaemenid Empire.<ref>{{harvnb|Kennedy|1996|p=73}}; {{harvnb|Garthwaite|2005|p=77}}; {{harvnb|Brown|1997|pp=80–84}}</ref> Mithridates I may have made Ctesiphon the new capital of his enlarged empire.{{sfn|Schippmann|1986|pp=525–536}} The Seleucids were unable to retaliate immediately as general [[Diodotus Tryphon]] led a rebellion at the capital [[Antioch]] in 142 BC.<ref>{{harvnb|Bivar|1983|p=34}}</ref> However, an opportunity for counter-invasion arose for the Seleucids in {{circa|140 BC}} when Mithridates I was forced to leave for the east to contain an invasion by the [[Saka]].{{sfn|Schippmann|1986|pp=525–536}}

The Seleucid ruler [[Demetrius II Nicator]] was at first successful in his efforts to reconquer Babylonia, however, the Seleucids were eventually defeated and Demetrius himself was captured by Parthian forces in 138 BC.<ref>{{harvnb|Brosius|2006|p=89}}; {{harvnb|Bivar|1983|p=35}}; {{harvnb|Shayegan|2007|pp=83–103, 178}}</ref> He was afterwards paraded in front of the Greeks of Media and Mesopotamia with the intention of making them to accept Parthian rule.{{sfn|Dąbrowa|2018|p=75}} Afterwards, Mithridates I had Demetrius sent to one of his palaces in Hyrcania. There Mithridates I treated his captive with great hospitality; he even married his daughter [[Rhodogune of Parthia|Rhodogune]] to Demetrius.<ref>{{harvnb|Brosius|2006|p=89}}; {{harvnb|Bivar|1983|p=35}}; {{harvnb|Shayegan|2007|pp=83–103}}; {{harvnb|Dąbrowa|2018|p=75}}</ref> According to Justin, Mithridates I had plans for Syria, and planned to use Demetrius as his instrument against the new Seleucid ruler [[Antiochus VII Sidetes]] ({{reign|138|129|era=BC}}).{{sfn|Nabel|2017|p=32}} His marriage to Rhodogune was in reality an attempt by Mithridates I to incorporate the Seleucid lands into the expanding Parthian realm.{{sfn|Nabel|2017|p=32}} Mithridates I then punished the Parthian vassal kingdom of Elymais for aiding the Seleucids–he invaded the region once more and captured two of their major cities.{{sfn|Hansman|1998|pp=373–376}}{{sfn|Schippmann|1986|pp=525–536}}

Around the same period, Mithridates I conquered the southwestern Iranian region of [[Persis]] and installed [[Wadfradad II]] as its ''[[frataraka]]''; he granted him more autonomy, most likely in an effort to maintain healthy relations with Persis as the Parthian Empire was under constant conflict with the Saka, Seleucids, and the [[Characene|Mesenians]].{{sfn|Wiesehöfer|2000|p=195}}{{sfn|Shayegan|2011|p=178}} He was seemingly the first Parthian monarch to have an influence on the affairs of Persis. The coinage of Wadfradad II shows influence from the coins minted under Mithridates I.{{sfn|Sellwood|1983|p=304}} Mithridates I died in {{circa|132 BC}}, and was succeeded by his son [[Phraates II]].{{sfn|Assar|2009|p=134}}