List of kings of Persia
In 1935, Persia became Iran, see also History of Iran.
The Medes were an Iranian people. The Persians, a related and subject people, revolted against the Median empire during the 6th century BC.
- Achaemenes of Anshan.
- Teispes of Anshan, his son.
- Cyrus I of Anshan, his son.
- Ariaramnes of Persia, son of Teispes and co-ruler of Cyrus I.
- Cambyses I of Anshan, son of Cyrus I.
- Arsames of Persia, son of Ariaramnes and co-ruler of Cambyses I
- Cyrus II the Great, son of Cambyses I, ruled from c.550 - 530 BC.
- Cambyses II, his son, ruled 530 - 521 BC.
- Smerdis, his alleged brother, ruled 521 BC
- Darius I, his brother-in-law and grandson of Arsames, ruled 521 -486 BC.
- Xerxes I, his son, ruled 486 -465 BC
- Artaxerxes I, his son, ruled 464 - 424 BC.
- Xerxes II, his son, ruled 424 - 423 BC.
- Sogdianus, his half-brother and rival, ruled 424 - 423 BC.
- Darius II, his half-brother and rival, ruled 424 - 404 BC.
- Artaxerxes II, his son, ruled 404 - 358 BC (see also Xenophon).
- Artaxerxes III,his son, ruled 358 - 338 BC
- Arses, his son, ruled 338 - 336 BC
- Darius III Codomannus, great-grandson of Darius II, ruled 336 -330 BC
The epigraphic evidence for these rulers is highly suspect, and often considered to have been invented by Darius I.
Macedonian Dynasty
(The Seleucid Dynasty gradually lost control of Persia. In 253 BC, the Arsacid Dynasty established itself in Parthia. The Parthians gradually expanded their control, until by the mid 2nd Century BC, the Seleucids had completely lost control of Persia. There were more Seleucid rulers of Syria and, for a time, Babylonia, after Antiochus IV, but none had any effective power in Persia).
- Arsaces I 246-211 BC
- Artabanus I 211-191 BC
- Priapatius 191-176 BC
- Phraates I 176-171 BC
- Mithridates I 171-138 BC
- Phraates II 138-128 BC
- Artabanus II 128-124 BC
- Mithridates II 124-87 BC
- Gotarzes I 91-78 BC
- Orodes I d.78 BC
- Sanatruces 77-70 BC
- Phraates III 70-58 BC
- Mithridates III 58-57 BC
- Orodes II 57-37 BC
- Phraates IV 37-30 BC
- Tiridates II 30-29 BC
- Phraates IV (restored) 29-28 BC
- Tiridates II (restored) 28-26 BC
- Phraates IV (restored) 26-2 BC
- Phraataces 2 BC - 4 AD
- Orodes III 4-7
- Vonones I 7-11
- Artabanus III 11-38
- Gotarzes II 38-51
- Vardanes 39-47
- Vonones II 51
- Vologases I 51-78
- Pacorus II 78-79
- Artabanus IV 79-81
- Pacorus II (restored) 81-115
- Vologases II 106
- Chosroes 109
- Parthamaspates 116
- Chosroes (restored) 117-128
- Mithridates IV 128-147
- Vologases III 148-192
- Vologases IV 191
- vacant 192-207 (?)
- Vologases V 207-213
- Artabanus V 213-226
- Artavasdes 226-227
part of Umayyad Caliphate, 661-750
part of Abbasid Caliphate, 750-867
divided, 867-1029
divided, 1194-1256
divided, 1343-1380
divided, 1449-1502
- Ismail I 1502-1524
- Tahmasp I 1524-1576
- Ismail II 1576-1578
- Mohammad I (Khoda Bandeh)
- Mohammed Khodabanda 1578-1587
- Abbas the Great
- Abbas I 1587-1629
- Safi 1629-1642
- Abbas II
- Abbas II 1642-1667
- Suleiman I 1667-1694
- Soltan Hussein
- Soltan Hoseyn I 1694-1722
- Tahmasp II 1722-1732
- Abbas III 1732-1736
- Suleiman II 1749-1750
- Ismail III 1750-1765
Afsharid dynasty, 1736-1749
Zand dynasty, 1750-1794
Islamic Republic of Iran, 1979 —
See also History of the Levant
