Vonones II
Vonones II was a Parthian prince who served as a King of Media Atropatene and briefly as King of the Parthian Empire.
Vonones was not from the ruling branch of the Arsacid royal family; his father was a Dahae prince, who was most likely descended from the former Arsacid monarch Mithridates II, whilst his mother was a daughter of the incumbent Arsacid King of Kings Phraates IV. Vonones II's brother was the Parthian King Artabanus II. Vonones II was the namesake of his maternal relative Vonones I, as he was born and raised in the Parthian Empire.
From about 11 until 51, Vonones II served as a King of Media Atropatene, a period about which little is known.
After the death of his nephew Gotarzes II, Vonones II was raised to the Parthian Kingship in 51. However, he died a few months into his reign and was succeeded by his son, Vologases I. Tacitus wrote that Vonones II “knew neither success nor failure which have deserved to be remembered to him. It was a short and inglorious reign”.
Vonones II had 3 sons who held the thrones of Parthia, Media Atropatene and Armenia: Pacorus, Vologases I, and Tiridates I. His sons were born and raised during his Kingship of Media Atropatene.
