128 Death of Phraates in a disastrous battle with the Scythians. His uncle, =Artabanus I= or =Arsaces (VII) Nicator=, son of Phriapatius, succeeds. The Scythians withdraw, content with their victory; Artabanus pays them tribute. There appear to have been rival kings in this and the following reign. Perhaps they are Scythians. The usurpers are suppressed. Artabanus dies (date unknown), after a short reign, in battle with the Tochari, and is succeeded by his son, =Mithridates (II) the Great= or =Arsaces (VIII) Theos Euergetes=. He wages many wars, and wins victories from the Scythians. Lost territory is recovered. The Euphrates is fixed as the western boundary of the kingdom. 94 Mithridates puts Tigranes II on the disputed throne of Greater Armenia. 92 Sulla, proprætor of Cilicia, meets the ambassador of Mithridates on the Euphrates, seeking the Roman alliance in some connection with the Parthian schemes against Syria. First contact of Parthia with Rome. Mithridates at war with Laodice, queen of Commagene. 88 About this date Mithridates captures Demetrius III and his army, dies shortly afterwards, and is succeeded by =Artabanus II= or =Arsaces IX=. He is the last to bear title “king of kings,” which passes to Tigranes II of Armenia. 77 =Sinatruces= or =Arsaces (X) Autocrator=, an exile living with the Scythian tribe of the Sacarances, is placed on the throne at the age of eighty. Continual wars with Tigranes, who conquers Media, ravages Arbela and Nineveh, and compels the cession of Adiabene and Nisibis. 73 Mithridates of Pontus appeals in vain to both Sinatruces and Tigranes for help against Rome. 70 =Phraates III= succeeds his father. 69 Phraates declines to help Mithridates of Pontus, whom Tigranes has joined. Tigranes offers to restore his Median conquests to Phraates if he will assist. Phraates hesitates, but 66 accepts overtures of Pompey, and, with the younger Tigranes, who has quarrelled with his father, prepares to invade Armenia. Phraates besieges Artaxarta, but leaves the younger Tigranes to continue. Defeat of Tigranes by his father. The former flees to Pompey. The elder Tigranes surrenders to Pompey, and the younger is put in chains. Phraates demands Tigranes’ deliverance, but it is refused. Phraates recovers Media and resumes title “king of kings.” 64 While Pompey is in Syria, Phraates attacks and defeats the elder Tigranes. Pompey refuses to interfere, but sends umpires to settle the dispute. 57 Murder of Phraates by his two sons, who divide the kingdom. =Orodes= or =Hyrodes I= takes Parthia, and =Mithridates III= takes Media. The latter is soon expelled for his cruelty, and Orodes reigns alone. Mithridates expects the Romans to restore him, but they are compelled to go to Egypt to restore Ptolemy XI.