Phraates V

Phraates V
Great King, King of Kings, Arsaces
Coin of Phraates V minted at Seleucia
King of the Parthian Empire
Reign2 BC – 4 AD
PredecessorPhraates IV
SuccessorOrodes III
Co-rulerMusa (2 BC – 4 AD)
Bornc.19 BC
Died1st-century AD
FatherPhraates IV
MotherMusa
ReligionZoroastrianism

Phraates V (Parthian: 𐭐𐭓𐭇𐭕 Frahāt), also known by the diminutive version of his name, Phraataces (also spelled Phraatakes), was the King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 2 BC to 4 AD. He was the younger son of Phraates IV (r.37 BC  2 BC) and Musa, who ruled with him.

Under Phraates V, a war threatened to break out between the Parthian and Roman empires over the control of Armenia and Mesopotamia. Although Augustus (r.27 BC  14 AD) had sent his adopted son Gaius Caesar to invade Iran, in 1 AD the two sides agreed a peace treaty, by which once again Armenia was recognized as being in the Roman sphere. Phraates V was in return acknowledged as the rightful Parthian king, which was of high importance to him, due to his insecure position in the country. In 4 AD, Phraates V and his mother fled to Rome after being expelled by the Parthian nobility, who crowned Orodes III as king.