The Parthians: The Forgotten Empire

363 Pages·2021·260.603 MB·English

by  Uwe Ellerbrock

THE PARTHIANS

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of the
Parthian Empire, which existed for almost 500 years from 247 BC to 224 AD.
The Parthians were Rome’s great opponents in the east, but comparatively little
is known about them. The Parthians focuses on the rise, expansion, flowering and
decline of the Parthian Empire and covers both the wars with the Romans in the
west and the nomads in the east. Sources include the small amount from the Empire
itself, as well as those from outside the Parthian world, such as Greek, Roman and
Chinese documents. Ellerbrock also explores the Parthian military, social history,
religions, art, architecture and numismatics, all supported by a great number of
images and maps.
The Parthians is an invaluable resource for those studying the Ancient Near
East during the period of the Parthian Empire, as well as for more general readers
interested in this era.
Uwe Ellerbrock has been studying the Parthian Empire for more than 30 years.
His book Die Parther, written with archaeologist Sylvia Winkelmann, was published
in 2012 (revised edition 2015).
PEOPLES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD

This series stands as the first port of call for anyone who wants to know more about
the historically important peoples of the ancient world and the early middle ages.
Reliable, up- to- date and with special attention paid to the peoples’ enduring
legacy and influence, Peoples of the Ancient World will ensure the continuing promin-
ence of these crucial figures in modern- day study and research.
The Mycenaeans
Rodney Castledean
The Trojans and their Neighbours
Trevor Bryce
The Persians
Maria Brosius
The Neanderthals
Stephanie Muller and Friedemann Shrenk
The Carthaginians
Dexter Hoyos
The Greeks, 3rd edition
An Introduction to their Culture
Robin Sowerby
The Huns
Hyun Jin Kim
The Romans, 4th edition
An Introduction
Abigail Graham and Antony Kamm
The Parthians
The Forgotten Empire
Uwe Ellerbrock
www.routledge.com/ Peoples- of- the- Ancient- World/ book- series/ PAW
THE PARTHIANS

The Forgotten Empire
Uwe Ellerbrock
First published 2021
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2021 Uwe Ellerbrock
The right of Uwe Ellerbrock to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him
in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Ellerbrock, Uwe, author.
Title: The Parthians: the forgotten empire/Uwe Ellerbrock.
Other titles: Parther-die vergessene Grossmacht. English
Description: First edition. | New York : Routledge Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2021. |
Series: Peoples of the ancient world | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2020043449 (print) | LCCN 2020043450 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780367481902 (hardback) | ISBN 9780367473099 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781003038559 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Parthians. | Arsacid dynasty, 247 B.C.-224 A.D. |
Parthia–History. | Art, Parthian. | Iran–History–To 640.
Classification: LCC DS285 .E55413 2021 (print) |
LCC DS285 (ebook) | DDC 939/.6–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020043449
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020043450
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 48190- 2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 0- 367- 47309- 9 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 03855- 9 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo
by Newgen Publishing UK
To my wife Ingrid
All human beings are members of one frame,
Since all, at first, from the same essence came.
When time afflicts a limb with pain
The other limbs at rest cannot remain.
If thou feel not for other’s misery
A human being is no name for thee.
Saadi Shirazi
Persian Poet (c. 1209 – c. 1291 AD)1
1 This well-known verse of Saadi is woven into a carpet that adorns the wall of the United Nations in
New York (www.un.org/ sg/ en/ content/ sg/ statement/ 2012- 08- 30/ secretary- generals- remarks- school-
international- relations).

CONTENTS

Detailed table of contents ix

List of figures xv

List of tables xxi

Image credits xxii

Foreword xxiv

Glossary of historic place names xxvi

1 The Parthian Empire: a first approach 1

2 History of the great empires in Iran 13

3 History of the Parthian Empire 22

4 The structure of the Parthian Empire 71

5 Vassal states and kingdoms under Parthian influence 103

6 The Parthian Empire and the peoples of Eurasia 115

7 Cities and architecture in the Parthian Empire 125

8 Trade and business in the Parthian Empire 158
viii Contents
9 Insights into social life in Parthia 181

10 Parthian art: art in the Arsacid kingdom 213

11 The Parthian Empire and its religions 254

Bibliography 298

Recommended websites 320

General index 321

Names index 327

Geographical names index 329
DETAILED TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 The Parthian Empire: a first approach 1
1.1 Documentary sources from within the Parthian world 4
1.2 Greek – Roman – Chinese literary sources 5
1.3 Ancient sources: historical truths or distorted images? 7
1.4 The Parthians: nomads – Hellenes – Iranians? 8
1.5 Geography of the Parthian Empire 10
2 History of the great empires in Iran 13

2.1 The empire of Elam 13
2.2 The Medes and Persians 15
2.3 The empire of the Achaemenids 16
2.4 Alexander the Great (356–323 BC) – the Hellenistic period 18
2.5 The empire of the Seleucids 20
3 History of the Parthian Empire 22

3.1 Phase 1: Development from a Seleucid vassal state to the Parthian
Empire: from Arsaces I to Phraates I (c. 247–165 BC) 24
3.1.1 Arsaces I (c. 247–211 BC) 27
3.1.2 Arsaces II (c. 211–191 BC) 28
3.1.3 Phriapatius (c. 191–176 BC) 28
3.1.3.1 Arsaces IV (c. 170–168 BC) 28
3.1.4 Phraates I (c. 168–164 BC) 28
3.2 Phase 2: Expansion of the Parthian Empire: from Mithradates I to
Darius of Media Atropatene (c. 165–70 BC) 29
3.2.1 Mithradates I (c. 165/ 164–132 BC) 31
3.2.2 Phraates II (c. 132–27 BC) 32