Ariobarzanes II of Atropatene

Ariobarzanes II of Atropatene also known as Ariobarzanes of Media; Ariobarzanes of Armenia; Ariobarzanes II; Ariobarzanes II of Media Atropatene and Ariobarzanes (40 BC – June 26, 4 AD) was king of Media Atropatene who ruled sometime from 28 BC to 20 BC until 4 and was appointed by the Roman emperor Augustus to serve as a Roman client king of Armenia from 2 AD until 4. Family background and early life Ariobarzanes II was a monarch of Media, of Armenian and Greek descent. He was the first son and among the children born to Artavasdes I and Athenais. Ariobarzanes II was the namesake of his paternal grandfather Ariobarzanes I, a previous king of Media Atropatene. He is also the namesake of his Pontian ancestors who governed with this name and of his mother's maternal grandfather, uncle and cousin who ruled with this name as kings of Cappadocia. He was born and raised in Media Atropatene. Kingship of Media Atropatene and Armenia At an unknown date in the 20 BCs, Ariobarzanes II succeeded his relative Asinnalus as king of Media Atropatene and little is known on his reign. The Armenian monarchs of the Artaxiad dynasty, Tigranes IV and Erato, instigated war with the aid of King Phraates V of Parthia. To avoid a full-scale war with Rome, Phraates V soon ceased his support to the Armenian monarchs. After Tigranes IV was killed in battle, Erato abdicated. Augustus appointed Ariobarzanes II in 2 BC. Ariobarzanes II through his father was a distant relative of the Artaxiad dynasty as he was a descendant of a sister of King Artavasdes II of Armenia who married Mithridates I.