Vonones I (ΟΝΩΝΗΣ Onōnēs on his coins) was an Arsacid prince, who ruled as King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 8 to 12, and subsequently as King of Armenia from 12 to 18. He was the eldest son of Phraates IV (r. 37–2 BC) and was sent to Rome as a hostage in 10/9 BC to avoid conflict over the succession of Phraates IV's youngest son, Phraataces.
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Background and early life
Vonones was the eldest son of Phraates IV. According to the classical Roman historian Tacitus, Vonones was related to the Scythian king. Phraates IV had previously been aided during his reign by the Scythians to retake his throne from the usurper Tiridates in c. 30 BC, and thus Vonones was possibly the result of a marriage alliance between Phraates IV and a Scythian tribal chief, who agreed to provide support in exchange for the union. Vonones was along with three of his brothers (Phraates, Seraspandes and Rhodaspes) sent to Rome in 10/9 BC, in order to prevent conflict over the succession of Phraates IV's youngest son, Phraataces. The Roman emperor Augustus used this diplomatic gesture as propaganda, portraying it as a sign of Parthia’s submission to Rome, listing it as a great accomplishment in his Res Gestae Divi Augusti.
Reign
After the assassination of Orodes III in about 6 AD, the Parthians applied to Augustus for a new king from the house of Arsaces. Augustus sent them Vonones I, but he was unable to maintain his rule; he had been educated as a Roman, and was despised by those who regarded him as a Roman puppet. Another member of the Arsacid house, Artabanus II, who ruled Media Atropatene, was invited to the throne. In a civil war he defeated and expelled Vonones I.
