Artabanus IV rebelled against his brother, Vologases VI, a few years after the latter succeeded their father as king.

Artabanus is the Latin form of the Greek Artábanos (Ἁρτάβανος), itself from the Old Persian *Arta-bānu ("the glory of Arta.").

[4] Caracalla's choice to contact Artabanus shows that the latter was now considered the dominant king over Vologases, who would rule a small principality centered around Seleucia until 221/2.

[5] The Sasanian family had meanwhile quickly risen to prominence in their native Pars, and had now under prince Ardashir I begun to conquer the neighboring regions and more distant territories, such as Kirman.

[3] According to al-Tabari, whose work was probably based on Sasanian sources,[7] Ardashir I and Artabanus agreed to meet in Hormozdgan at the end of the month of Mihr (April).

[8] Ardashir I's forces numbered 10,000 cavalry, with some of them wearing flexible chain armor akin to that of the Romans.

[10] The battle was fought on 28 April 224, with Artabanus being defeated and killed, marking the end of the Arsacid era and the start of 427 years of Sasanian rule.

[12] He celebrated his victory by having two rock reliefs sculptured at the Sasanian royal city of Ardashir-Khwarrah (present-day Firuzabad) in his homeland, Pars.

[14][9] The second relief, conceivably intended to portray the aftermath of the battle, displays the triumphant Ardashir I being given the badge of kingship over a fire shrine from the Zoroastrian supreme god Ahura Mazda, while Shapur and two other princes are watching from behind.

[15][a] This account, if not entirely fictional, may preserve the memory of a marriage between Ardashir and a princess of the Arsacid house or possibly just a noblewoman linked with the Parthian nobility.