39 Facts About Parthian Empire

At its height, the Parthian Empire stretched from the northern reaches of the Euphrates, in what is central-eastern Turkey, to present-day Afghanistan and western Pakistan.

Ardashir established the Sasanian Parthian Empire, which ruled Iran and much of the Near East until the Muslim conquests of the 7th century AD, although the Arsacid dynasty lived on through branches of the family that ruled Armenia, Iberia, and Albania in the Caucasus.

Parthian Empire artwork is viewed by historians as a valid source for understanding aspects of society and culture that are otherwise absent in textual sources.

Parthian Empire's body was sent back to Syria in a silver coffin; his son Seleucus was made a Parthian hostage and a daughter joined Phraates' harem.

The Parthian Empire was enriched by taxing the Eurasian caravan trade in silk, the most highly priced luxury good imported by the Romans.

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Besides silk, Parthian Empire goods purchased by Roman merchants included iron from India, spices, and fine leather.

Caravans traveling through the Parthian Empire brought West Asian and sometimes Roman luxury glasswares to China.

Parthian Empire reigned during a period coined in scholarship as the "Parthian Dark Age, " due to the lack of clear information on the events of this period in the empire, except a series of, apparently overlapping, reigns.

Parthian Empire promised Pompey that he would act as a guide through Armenia, but, when Tigranes II submitted to Rome as a client king, Tigranes the Younger was brought to Rome as a hostage.

The horse archers employed the "Parthian Empire shot" tactic: feigning retreat to draw enemy out, then turning and shooting at them when exposed.

Parthian Empire was taken captive in 34 BC, paraded in Antony's mock Roman triumph in Alexandria, Egypt, and eventually executed by Cleopatra VII of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.

Anilai's Parthian Empire wife poisoned Asinai out of fear he would attack Anilai over his marriage to a gentile.

Parthian Empire traveled as far west as the Persian Gulf, where Parthian authorities convinced him that an arduous sea voyage around the Arabian Peninsula was the only means to reach Rome.

Parthian Empire's forces, led by Lusius Quietus, captured Nisibis; its occupation was essential to securing all the major routes across the northern Mesopotamian plain.

Parthian Empire, weakened by internal strife and wars with Rome, was to be followed by the Sasanian Empire.

Indigenous sources on Parthian Empire history remain scarce, with fewer of them available than for any other period of Iranian history.

The Parthian Empire language was written in a distinct script derived from the Imperial Aramaic chancellery script of the Achaemenids, and later developed into the Pahlavi writing system.

Greek and Latin histories, which represent the majority of materials covering Parthian Empire history, are not considered entirely reliable since they were written from the perspective of rivals and wartime enemies.

The Parthian Empire contained several subordinate semi-autonomous kingdoms, including the states of Caucasian Iberia, Armenia, Atropatene, Gordyene, Adiabene, Edessa, Hatra, Mesene, Elymais, and Persis.

However, the satraps of Parthian Empire times governed smaller territories, and perhaps had less prestige and influence than their Achaemenid predecessors.

Parthian Empire maintained polygamous relations, and was usually succeeded by his first-born son.

Parthian Empire had no standing army, yet were able to quickly recruit troops in the event of local crises.

Garrisons were permanently maintained at border forts; Parthian Empire inscriptions reveal some of the military titles granted to the commanders of these locations.

Main striking force of the Parthian Empire army was its cataphracts, heavy cavalry with man and horse decked in mailed armor.

The heavy and light cavalry of Parthia proved to be a decisive factor in the Battle of Carrhae where a Parthian Empire force defeated a much larger Roman army under Crassus.

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Size of the Parthian army is unknown, as is the size of the empire's overall population.

Parthian Empire, being culturally and politically heterogeneous, had a variety of religious systems and beliefs, the most widespread being those dedicated to Greek and Iranian cults.

Common motifs of the Parthian Empire period include scenes of royal hunting expeditions and the investiture of Arsacid kings.

Parthian Empire architecture adopted elements of Achaemenid and Greek architecture, but remained distinct from the two.

Signature feature of Parthian Empire architecture was the iwan, an audience hall supported by arches or barrel vaults and open on one side.

The earliest Parthian Empire iwans are found at Seleucia, built in the early 1st century AD.

Typical Parthian Empire riding outfit is exemplified by the famous bronze statue of a Parthian Empire nobleman found at Shami, Elymais.

Parthian Empire's outfit is commonly seen in relief images of Parthian coins by the mid-1st century BC.

Examples of clothing in Parthian Empire inspired sculptures have been found in excavations at Hatra, in northwestern Iraq.

Statues erected there feature the typical Parthian Empire shirt, combined with trousers and made with fine, ornamented materials.

The Parthian Empire trouser-suit was adopted in Palmyra, Syria, along with the use of Parthian Empire frontality in art.

Parthian Empire sculptures depict wealthy women wearing long-sleeved robes over a dress, with necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and headdresses bedecked in jewelry.

Mithridates II was the first to be shown wearing the Parthian Empire tiara, embroidered with pearls and jewels, a headdress commonly worn in the late Parthian Empire period and by Sasanian monarchs.

Parthian Empire kings were polygamous and had several wives with the title “queen”, as well as concubines.