Parthia

+ Parthia 250pxParthian Empire at its greatest extent, c. 60 BCE. Languages Parthian language Religions Zoroastrianism Capitals Ctesiphon, Hecatompylus Area Middle East Existed 238 BCE–228 CE
Parthia was an ancient Parthian empire in Asia that included what are now Iran, part of Armenia, Iraq, Georgia, eastern Turkey, eastern Syria, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The Parthians were excellent horsemen and archers. In battle, mounted Parthians often discharged their arrows back towards the enemy and pretended to flee.

In 250 BC, the Parthians succeeded in founding an independent kingdom, which in the 1st century BC grew into an empire extending from the Euphrates to the Indus and from the Amu Darya to the Indian Ocean. They expanded by successfully expelling the Seleucids from Persia and establishing the second great Persian Empire.

See Crassus for an account of the Parthians' defeat of a Roman army.

 Other websites 

 Parthia.com - with an extensive bibliography

 History of Parthia
The Establishment and Development of Christianity in the Parthian Empire in Transoxiana 6.
Parthia (Old Persian Parthava) 

Category:Ancient Rome
Category:Ancient history by country
Category:History of Iran
Category:History of Pakistan
Category:History of Persia
Category:Ancient history of Azerbaijan
Category:Former countries in Asia
Category:Former countries in the Middle East
Category:Former empires