[6] During his reign of Media Atropatene, Artavasdes also served as a Roman Client King of Armenia Major.

[7][8] Artavasdes was the first son born to King Ariobarzanes II of Atropatene[9] by an unnamed wife.

[13] An example of this is on one surviving coin dated from his reign, is on the obverse side shows the head of Augustus with the Greek inscription ΘΕΟΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ which means of Caesar, the God, the Benefactor, while on the reverse side shows the head of Artavasdes, with the Greek inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΤΑΥΑΖΔΟΥ which means of Great King Artavasdes.

The Epitaphs are probably of the son and the grandson of a Median Atropatenian King called Ariobarzanes.

Some modern historical sources and reference books state that he is a son of Artavasdes II of Armenia.