Seleucid–Parthian wars
Encyclopedia
The Seleucid–Parthian wars were a series of conflicts between the Seleucid Empire
and Parthia
which resulted in the ultimate expulsion of the Seleucids from Persia and the establishment of the Parthian Empire
. The wars were caused by Iranian tribes migrating into Central Asia
and the inability of the Seleucids to properly defend or hold together their vast empire.
and comprising most of Alexander's realm, the Seleucid state was the most powerful of the Diadochi
kingdoms that sprang up after Alexander's death. Quickly however, the Seleucids ran into trouble trying to maintain such an extended realm, facing constant warfare against the other Hellenistic states in the west and with unrest amongst their Iranian peoples in the east.
Taking advantage of the Seleucids' preoccupation with the wars in the west, around 245 BC, Diodotus
and Andragoras, the Seleucid satraps of Bactria
and Parthia respectively, declared their remote provinces independent states. Soon after, however, in 238, the Parni
under Arsaces
invaded Andragoras' domain, defeated and killed him, and took over the land.
Antiochus III was an ambitious Seleucid king who had a vision of reuniting Alexander the Great's empire under the Seleucid dynasty
. In 209 BCE, he launched a campaign to regain control of the eastern provinces, and after defeating the Parthians in battle, he successfully regained control over the region. The Parthians were forced to accept vassal status, though this was only nominal at best and only because the Seleucid army was on their doorstep. Luckily for the Parthians, the Seleucid Empire had many enemies, and it was not long before Antiochus led his forces west to fight Ptolemaic Egypt
and the rising Roman Empire
.
. In 139 BCE, the Parthians defeated the Seleucid army
and captured Seleucid King Demetrius II, and the eastern provinces of the empire became easy targets for expansion. In 129 BCE, the Parthians drove back the last Seleucid counterattack.
The loss of so much territory sent the already enfeebled empire into a decline from which it could never recover. The Seleucid Empire became a rump state which only continued to exist because the Parthians saw it as a useful buffer against the Roman Empire. When Pompey led a Roman expedition into Syria
, he annexed the Seleucid Empire, and the stage was set for the Roman–Parthian Wars
.
. The Roman–Parthian Wars would embroil these ancient empires until the 3rd century.
Seleucid Empire
The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
and Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
which resulted in the ultimate expulsion of the Seleucids from Persia and the establishment of the Parthian Empire
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire , also known as the Arsacid Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Persia...
. The wars were caused by Iranian tribes migrating into Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and the inability of the Seleucids to properly defend or hold together their vast empire.
Background
In 323 BCE, the Seleucid Empire was founded by Seleucus I, a general of Alexander the Great. Stretching from Syria to the Indus RiverIndus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
and comprising most of Alexander's realm, the Seleucid state was the most powerful of the Diadochi
Diadochi
The Diadochi were the rival generals, family and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for the control of Alexander's empire after his death in 323 BC...
kingdoms that sprang up after Alexander's death. Quickly however, the Seleucids ran into trouble trying to maintain such an extended realm, facing constant warfare against the other Hellenistic states in the west and with unrest amongst their Iranian peoples in the east.
Taking advantage of the Seleucids' preoccupation with the wars in the west, around 245 BC, Diodotus
Diodotus I
Diodotus I Soter was Seleucid satrap of Bactria, rebelled against Seleucid rule soon after the death of Antiochus II in c. 255 or 246 BC, and wrested independence for his territory. He died in 239 BC....
and Andragoras, the Seleucid satraps of Bactria
Bactria
Bactria and also appears in the Zend Avesta as Bukhdi. It is the ancient name of a historical region located between south of the Amu Darya and west of the Indus River...
and Parthia respectively, declared their remote provinces independent states. Soon after, however, in 238, the Parni
Parni
The Parni or Aparni were an east Iranian people of the Ochus River valley, southeast of the Caspian Sea...
under Arsaces
Arsaces I of Parthia
Arsaces I was the founder of the Arsacid dynasty, and after whom all 30+ monarchs of the Arsacid empire officially named themselves. A celebrated descent from antiquity begins with Arsaces.A 1st century AD tradition casts Arsaces as descending from the 5th-century BC Achaemenid monarch...
invaded Andragoras' domain, defeated and killed him, and took over the land.
Campaigns of Antiochus III
Seleucid dynasty
The Seleucid dynasty or the Seleucidae was a Greek Macedonian royal family, founded by Seleucus I Nicator , which ruled the Seleucid Kingdom centered in the Near East and regions of the Asian part of the earlier Achaemenid Persian Empire during the Hellenistic period.-History:Seleucus was an...
. In 209 BCE, he launched a campaign to regain control of the eastern provinces, and after defeating the Parthians in battle, he successfully regained control over the region. The Parthians were forced to accept vassal status, though this was only nominal at best and only because the Seleucid army was on their doorstep. Luckily for the Parthians, the Seleucid Empire had many enemies, and it was not long before Antiochus led his forces west to fight Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt
Ptolemaic Egypt began when Ptolemy I Soter invaded Egypt and declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt in 305 BC and ended with the death of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. The Ptolemaic Kingdom was a powerful Hellenistic state, extending from southern Syria in the east, to...
and the rising Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
Rise of the Arsacids and the end of the Seleucid Empire
Seleucid power began to weaken after the defeat of Antiochus at the hands of the Romans. The Arsacids took power in Parthia and declared their full independence from the Seleucid Empire. In 148 BCE, the Parthians took Media from the Seleucid Empire, and in 141 BCE, they captured the major Seleucid city of SeleuciaSeleucia
Seleucia was the first capital of the Seleucid Empire, and one of the great cities of antiquity standing in Mesopotamia, on the Tigris River.Seleucia may refer to:...
. In 139 BCE, the Parthians defeated the Seleucid army
Seleucid army
The Seleucid army was the army of the Seleucid Empire, one of the numerous Hellenistic states that emerged after the death of Alexander the Great....
and captured Seleucid King Demetrius II, and the eastern provinces of the empire became easy targets for expansion. In 129 BCE, the Parthians drove back the last Seleucid counterattack.
The loss of so much territory sent the already enfeebled empire into a decline from which it could never recover. The Seleucid Empire became a rump state which only continued to exist because the Parthians saw it as a useful buffer against the Roman Empire. When Pompey led a Roman expedition into Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, he annexed the Seleucid Empire, and the stage was set for the Roman–Parthian Wars
Roman–Parthian Wars
The Roman–Parthian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Parthian Empire and the Romans. It was the first series of conflicts in what would be 719 years of Roman–Persian Wars....
.
Legacy
The war brought about a lasting cultural exchange between east and west. Greek ideas would be remembered in the east long after they had been forgotten about in the west, while Persian influences in sciences, literature and architecture would be introduced to western powers such as the Romans. The westward expansion of Parthia during the war would eventually lead to clashes with the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. The Roman–Parthian Wars would embroil these ancient empires until the 3rd century.