Characene

Characene was founded around 127 BC under Hsypaosines, and existed as an independent kingdom only for a short period before being conquered by the Parthians. Hyspaosines was originally a Satrap installed by Antiochus IV Epiphanes .

After the Parthian conquest it remained a semi-autonomous country with its own kings. It disappeared as a separate kingdom with the fall of the Parthian empire.

Trajan , the Roman emperor, visited Charax in 116 AD, during his invasion of Parthia, and watched the ships leaving for India. He reportedly lamented the fact that he wasn't younger so that he could, like Alexander , have gone there himself.

The kings of Characene are mainly known by their coins, consisting mainly of silver tetradrachms with Greek and later Aramaic inscriptions. These coins are dated (following the Seleucid Era ) providing a secure framework for the chronological placements of the kings.

The kings of Characene:

Hyspaosines c. 127-124 BC

Apodakos c. 110/09-104/03 BC

Tiraios I 95/94-90/89 BC

Tiraios II 79/78-49/48 BC

Artabazos 49/48-48/47 BC

Attambelos I 47/46-25/24 BC

Theonesios I c. 19/18

Attambalos II c. 17/16 BC - AD 8/9

Abinergaos I 10/11; 22/23

Orabazes I c. 19

Attambalos III c. 37/38-44/45

Theonesios II c. 46/47

Theonesios III c. 52/53

Attambalos IV 54/55-64/65

Attambalos V 64/65-73/74

Orabazes II c. 73-80

Pakoros (II) 80-101/02

Attambalos VI c. 101/02-105/06

Theonesios IV c. 110/11-112/113

Attambalos VII 113/14-117

Meredates c. 131-150/51

Orabazes II c. 150/51-165

Abinergaios II (?) c. 165-180

Attambalos VIII c. 180-195

Maga (?) c. 195-210

Abinergaos III c. 210-222

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Characene

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