A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

MITHRIDATES III., the son of the preceding, succeeded his father apparently during the Armenian war. On his return from Armenia, Mithridates was expelled from the throne, on account of his cruelty, by the Parthian senate, as it is called, and was succeeded by his brother Orodes. Orodes appears to have given Media to Mithridates, but to have taken it from him again; whereupon Mithridates applied to the Roman general, Gabinius, in Syria, B. C. 55, who promised to restore him to Parthia, but soon after relinquished his design in consequence of having received a great sum from Ptolemy to place him upon the throne of Egypt. Mithridates, however, seems to have raised some troops; for he subsequently obtained possession of Babylon, where, after sustaining a long siege, he surrendered himself to his brother, and was immediately put to death by his orders. (Justin, 42.4; D. C. 39.56; Appian, Syr.51; Joseph. B.J. 1.8.7.)