Parthia, << PAHR thee uh, >> was an ancient kingdom southeast of the Caspian Sea, in Asia. Parthians lived a simple life and were noted as warriors. Hecatompylos was the early capital of Parthia. Later, Ctesiphon was the capital of the Parthian Empire.
The Parthians were independent until the 500’s B.C., when Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered them. Alexander the Great also conquered Parthia, and it later became part of the Seleucid kingdom. By 235 B.C., Parthia had regained its independence, and it soon ruled a large empire in the East.
Parthia fought several wars against the Romans, defeating Crassus in 53 B.C. and Mark Antony in 36 B.C. and losing to Trajan in A.D. 116. A Persian revolt overthrew the Parthian rulers about 224. Parthia became a part of the Sasanian Empire that was founded by Ardashir I.
See also Persia, Ancient ; Turkmenistan (History) .
