page_title: Gotarzes I
section_title: Rock relief
hierarchical_section_title: Gotarzes I / Rock relief
caption_attribution_description: Behistun I by Grelot Behistun I parthian Era rock relief aka Mithridate II’s audience scene. Behistun I (123-88/87 BCE) has been about completely erased in 1684 by a the carving of an inscription written in Persian, paying tribute to a Safavid local governor. From the initial panel, we can just distinguish a character and 2 caped silhouettes on the left, and a Greek inscription above. Fortunately, this unique drawing made by Grelot in 1673 let us know how this relief looked like. Although less famous, Grelot was attached to Jean Chardin’s travel in the near East, and performed many observations and draws. The scene shows on the right, King Mithridate II standing, overlooking 4 noblemen, may be some of his satraps. The king hails his hand up with 2 sticky fingers, some of the other characters hold some objects, one being probably a cup, another being a Nikë, Greek divinity testifying as the above inscription, of the Greek influences the Parthian art included from the Seleucids. See the image of Behistun I &amp; II
context_page_description: Gotarzes I was king of the Parthian Empire from 91 BC to 87 or 80 BC. He was the son and successor of Mithridates II, and was succeeded by his son Orodes I.
context_section_description: At Mount Behistun in western Iran, there is a rock relief which depicts four figures paying respect to a fifth figure. The relief, along with its Greek inscription, heavily damaged, was partly reconstructed by the German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld (d. 1948), and reads the following:
  "Kophasates, Mithrates, [...] Gotarzes the satrap of satraps, and the great king Mithradates."
  Rahim M. Shayegan (2011), has suggested, contrary to other scholars, that the rock relief was not constructed during the reign of Mithridates II, but during that of his son and successor Gotarzes, perhaps as an attempt to stress the legitimacy of his sovereignty by portraying the prestigious status of himself and his officers during Mithridates II's kingship. He identifies the first figure with the Parthian satrap Kofzad; the second figure with the Parthian commander Mitratu, who first rose to an distinguished position under Gotarzes; the third figure with Gotarzes' son and heir Orodes; and the fourth with Gotarzes himself, who served as "satrap of satraps" under his father.
caption: Sketch of the rock relief portraying Mithridates II and four grandees at Mount Behistun
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