History Parthia

1 history

1.1 under achaemenids
1.2 under seleucids
1.3 under arsacids
1.4 under sasanians

history
under achaemenids

as region inhabited parthians, parthia first appears political entity in achaemenid lists of governorates ( satrapies ) under dominion. prior this, people of region seem have been subjects of medes, , 7th century bc assyrian texts mention country named partakka or partukka (though need not have coincided topographically later parthia ).

a year after cyrus great s defeat of median astyages, parthia became 1 of first provinces acknowledge cyrus ruler, , allegiance secured cyrus eastern flanks , enabled him conduct first of imperial campaigns – against sardis. according greek sources, following seizure of achaemenid throne darius i, parthians united median king phraortes revolt against him. hystaspes, achaemenid governor of province (said father of darius i), managed suppress revolt, seems have occurred around 522–521 bc.

the first indigenous iranian mention of parthia in behistun inscription of darius i, parthia listed (in typical iranian clockwise order) among governorates in vicinity of drangiana. inscription dates c. 520 bc. center of administration may have been @ [what later known as] hecatompylus . parthians appear in herodotus list of peoples subject achaemenids; historiographer treats parthians, chorasmians, sogdians , areioi peoples of single satrapy (the 16th), annual tribute king states 300 talents of silver. has rightly caused disquiet modern scholars.

at battle of gaugamela in 331 bc between forces of darius iii , of alexander great, 1 such parthian unit commanded phrataphernes, @ time achaemenid governor of parthia. following defeat of darius iii, phrataphernes surrendered governorate alexander when macedonian arrived there in summer of 330 bc. phrataphernes reappointed governor alexander.

under seleucids

following death of alexander, in partition of babylon in 323 bc, parthia became seleucid governorate under nicanor. phrataphernes, former governor, became governor of hyrcania. in 320 bc, @ partition of triparadisus, parthia reassigned philip, former governor of sogdiana. few years later, province invaded peithon, governor of media magna, attempted make brother eudamus governor. peithon , eudamus driven back, , parthia remained governorate in own right.

in 316 bc, stasander, vassal of seleucus nicator , governor of bactria (and, seems, of aria , margiana) appointed governor of parthia. next 60 years, various seleucids appointed governors of province.

coin of andragoras, last seleucid satrap of parthia. proclaimed independence around 250 bc.

in 247 bc, following death of antiochus ii, ptolemy iii seized control of seleucid capital @ antioch, , left future of seleucid dynasty moment in question. taking advantage of uncertain political situation, andragoras, seleucid governor of parthia, proclaimed independence , began minting own coins.

meanwhile, man called arsaces, of scythian or bactrian origin, [was] elected leader of parni , eastern-iranian peoples tajen/tajend river valley, south-east of caspian sea. following secession of parthia seleucid empire , resultant loss of seleucid military support, andragoras had difficulty in maintaining borders, , 238 bc – under command of arsaces , brother tiridates – parni invaded parthia , seized control of astabene (astawa), northern region of territory, administrative capital of kabuchan (kuchan in vulgate).

a short while later parni seized rest of parthia andragoras, killing him in process. although initial punitive expedition seleucids under seleucus ii not successful, seleucids under antiochus iii recaptured arsacid controlled territory in 209 bc arsaces (or tiridates ) successor, arsaces ii. arsaces ii sued peace , accepted vassal status, , not until arsaces ii s grandson (or grand-nephew) phraates i, arsacids/parni again begin assert independence.

under arsacids


parthian horseman on display @ palazzo madama, turin.



coin of mithridates (r. 171–138 bc). reverse shows heracles, , inscription ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ great king arsaces, friend of greeks .



reproduction of parthian archer depicted on trajan s column.



a sculpted head (broken off larger statue) of parthian soldier wearing hellenistic-style helmet, parthian royal residence , necropolis of nisa, 2nd century bc

from base in parthia, arsacid dynasts extended dominion include of greater iran. established several eponymous branches on thrones of armenia, iberia, , caucasian albania. though arsacids sporadically had capital in parthia, power base there, among parthian feudal families, upon military , financial support arsacids depended. in exchange support, these families received large tracts of land among earliest conquered territories adjacent parthia, parthian nobility ruled provincial rulers. largest of these city-states kuchan, semnan, gorgan, merv, zabol , yazd.

from 105 bc onwards, power , influence of handful of parthian noble families such opposed monarch, , contributory factor in downfall of dynasty.

from 130 bc onwards, parthia suffered numerous incursions various nomadic tribes, including sakas, yueh-chi, , massagetae. each time, arsacid dynasts responded personally, doing when there more severe threats seleucids or romans looming on western borders of empire (as case mithridates i). defending empire against nomads cost phraates ii , artabanus lives.

around 32 bc, civil war broke out when tiridates rebelled against phraates iv, support of nobility phraates had persecuted. revolt successful, failed 25 bc. in 9/8, parthian nobility succeeded in putting preferred king on throne, vonones proved have tight budgetary control, usurped in favor of artabanus ii, seems have been non-arsacid parthian nobleman. when artabanus attempted consolidate position (at successful in instances), failed in regions parthian provincial rulers held sway.

by 2nd century ad, frequent wars neighboring rome , nomads, , infighting among parthian nobility had weakened arsacids point no longer defend subjugated territories. empire fractured vassalaries increasingly claimed independence or subjugated others, , arsacids vanquished persian sassanids, formerly minor vassal southwestern iran, in april 224.

under sasanians

under sasanian (sassanid) rule, parthia folded newly formed province, khorasan, , henceforth ceased exist political entity. of parthian nobility continued resist sasanian dominion time, switched allegiance sasanians early. several families claimed descent parthian noble families became sasanian institution known 7 houses , 5 of in probability not parthian, contrived genealogies in order emphasize antiquity of families.