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

Ardashir then went on to conquer the rest of the Parthian Empire, inaugurating the rule of the Sasanian dynasty over Iran.

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).

[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.