Orodes
| Gender | male |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Middle Iranian |
| Meaning | Uncertain |
| Region of origin | Greater Iran |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) |
|
| Derivative(s) | Herod |
| Derived | Uncertain |
Orodes is the Latinized form of a male given name of Middle Iranian origin popularized by Parthians. In Greek it is recorded as Orōdēs (Ὀρώδης), Hērōdēs (Ἡρώδης), Hurōdēs (Ὑρώδης,[1] in Latin: Hyrōdēs), and once as Ouorōdēs (Οὐορώδην).[2] It is recorded in Shapur I's trilingual inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht as Greek (§67) Ouorōd (Οὐορωδ), Middle Persian (§35) wyrwd (𐭥𐭩𐭥𐭥𐭣 Wērōy,[1] Wīroy,[3] Wirōy[4]) and Parthian (§28) wrwd (𐭅𐭓𐭅𐭃 Wērōd,[1] Urūd[3]). The older form is probably Wērōd, supposedly developed into a regional Werōd, and later Worōd.[5] The Middle Persian is also recorded with the spelling wyrwy[1] and wylwd.[6] It is recorded in New Persian as Wērō (ویرو, "Viru"), name of a character in Vis o Ramin, a romance of Parthian origin.[5]
The name is recorded as wrwd in Syriac and Aramaic texts from Egypt (spelled wrd instead), Elymais, Palmyra, Hatra, Dura-Europos, and possibly Assur. The Parthian name is also attested in Late Babylonian (mú-ru-da-a).[2]
The etymology of the word is disputed.[2]
People named Orodes include:
Kings of Parthia:
- Orodes I of Parthia (died 75 BC)
- Orodes II of Parthia (died 37 BC)
- Orodes III of Parthia (died 6 AD)
Kings of Elymais:
- Orodes I of Elymais, reigned c. 50-100 AD?[7]
- Orodes II of Elymais, son and successor of Orodes I[8]
- Orodes III (fl. 2nd century)
- Orodes IV of Elymais, reigned beginning sometime between 165-170 AD?[8]
- Orodes V (fl. 3rd century)
Others:
- Orodes of Armenia, Roman client king of Armenia in 35 AD and from 37 until 42
See also
- Septimius Worod, a Palmyrene official
- Worod, a king of the Kingdom of Hatra
- Herod (disambiguation)
References
- ^ a b c d Asia Major. Institute of History and Philology of the Academia Sinica. 1952. p. 178.
- ^ a b c Marcato, Enrico (2018). Personal Names in the Aramaic Inscriptions of Hatra. Edizioni Ca' Foscari - Digital Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-88-6969-231-4.
- ^ a b Yarshater, Ehsan (1983). The Cambridge History of Iran. Cambridge University Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-521-20092-9.
- ^ East and West. Istituto italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente. 1981. p. 148.
- ^ a b al-Rayḥānī, ʿAlī b ʿUbayda (2006). Zakeri, Mohsen (ed.). Persian Wisdom in Arabic Garb (2 vols): ʿAlī b. ʿUbayda al-Rayḥānī (D. 219/834) and his Jawāhir al-kilam wa-farāʾid al-ḥikam. BRILL. p. 147. ISBN 978-90-474-1875-7.
- ^ Gyselen, Rika (2007). Sasanian Seals and Sealings in the A. Saeedi Collection. Peeters Publishers. p. 118. ISBN 978-90-429-1268-7.
- ^ "Drachm of Orodes I of Elymais". Harvard Art Museums. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ a b Hansman, John F. "Elymais". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. VIII. pp. 373–376. Retrieved 7 August 2025.