BARONS OF TIRAZIS

It is the year 2 BC, Phraates IV was King of Kings of the Parthian Empire from 37 to 2 BC. He was the son and successor of Orodes II (r. 57–37 BC), and was given the throne after the death of his brother Pacorus I. Phraates IV soon murdered all his brothers, and also his father. And now, he has been murdered by his concubine wife Musa, who will rule Persia with her son.

While the Romans and Persian kings fought among themselves for power, the Barons took charge of wealth, many of them with no imperial lineage but autokrators, those who ruled by themselves, for themselves, with no desire to be king, only to amass wealth and prestige.

This unofficial rule of the nation by an elite is inevitable seen as an “iron law” as part of the “tactical and technical necessities” of the empire.

Darian was elected, not by desire or choice, nor by lineage, pen or paper, but by the forces of his accumulated wealth and business acumen, as one of the most influential and respected Baron elites of that time.

Which made him a very dangerous man. Especially because he did not consider himself as part of the elites, but as an independent, the one who could not be persuaded by politics.

And yet, he found himself in the middle of it, expected to lead the Seven Houses to overthrow Musa and put on the throne the rightful king.