Vonones II of Parthia

Who was Vonones II of Parthia?

Vonones II of Parthia was a Prince of Iranian and Greek ancestry who served as a King of Media Atropatene and briefly as King of Parthia.

Vonones II was the second born son of an unnamed Arsacid Parthian Princess who was a relation to the King Vonones I of Parthia and her husband, the Median Atropatenian Prince, Darius. His known grandparents which were his paternal ones were the Monarchs Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene and his wife, Athenais. Vonones II had an elder brother the Parthian King Artabanus III. Vonones II was the namesake of his maternal relative Vonones I, as he was born and raised in the Parthian Empire.

Prior to his Parthian Kingship from about 11 until 51, Vonones II served as a King of Media Atropatene. Little is known on his reign as King of Media Atropatene.

After the death of his nephew Gotarzes II, Vonones II was raised to the Parthian Kingship in 51. The Kingship of Vonones II was brief. After a few months of him being appointed as King of Parthia, Vonones II died and was succeeded by his son, Vologases I. Tacitus described Vonones II as “he knew neither success nor failure which have deserved to be remembered to him. It was a short and inglorious reign”.