MITHRADATES mĭth rə dā’ tēz, ancient Iranian name, “Gift of Mithra,” and the name of seven kings of the Arsacid dynasty, the kings of Parthia. Two Pers. officials of this name are mentioned in the OT (Ezra 1:8; 4:7) under a Sem. variant of the name (Heb. מִתְרְדָ֣ת). In the Apocryphal book of 1 Esdras 2:11, 16, the official of Ezra 4 is called Mithradates, which is correct. The Romans fought a series of three wars against Mithradates VI Eupator, called “the Great,” between 88-64 b.c. This war prohibited the Romans from taking effective control over Pal. until 63 b.c. Although Pers., the Mithradatid rulers were Hel. in outlook, and preserved the Hel. age in Syria-Palestine for a cent. after the other Hel. kingdoms had fallen to Rome.