Page:Political History of Parthia.pdf/97

Rh was perhaps not of the Arsacid line. Tigranes took back the seventy valleys; he invaded Gorduene, besides overrunning the region about Nineveh; and Adiabene, with the important center of Arbela, fell into his hands. Thence he advanced into Media, where he burned the royal palace at Adrapana (Artaman) on the great road to the west of Ecbatana. Atropatene became his vassal state. Eventually Tigranes carried his arms victoriously throughout northern Mesopotamia and as far west as Syria and Phoenicia, flaunting in the very faces of the Parthians their customary title, king of kings, never claimed by Gotarzes.

Gotarzes continued to control Babylonia until 81/80 But in April, 80, there appears on the tablets an Orodes (I), the use of whose personal