The History of Persia and the Parthian Empire

Most of the old persian empire was seized by the general seleucus, who founded antioch and forged an eastern hellenic kingdom. The parthians took their name from the northeastern satrope of the selucid empire from which they arose. A peace settlement left the rising northeastern power nominally a client kingdom, but a highly independent one. For the 300 or so years, the romans and parthians lived as sometimes hostile and sometimes peaceful neighbors. And apart from their persistent attempts to gain the upper hand in armenia, the parthians never contemplated further expansion west.