PARTHIAN EMPIRE

The Parthian Empire (/ p rthi n/), also known as the Arsacid Empire was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conquering the region of Parthia in Iran's northeast, then a satrapy (province) under Andragoras, in rebellion against the Seleucid Empire. Mithridates I (r. c. 171-132 BC) greatly expanded the empire by seizing Media and Mesopotamia from the Seleucids. At its hei ...