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Parthia.

1 Ancient

PAR

ARTHIA, a celebrated empire of antiquity, boundnia, on the east by Aria, on the fouth by Carmania the defert; furrounded on every fide by mountains, which ftill ferve as a boundary, though its name is now changed, having obtained that of Eyras or Arac; and, to diftinguish it from Chaldæa, that of Eyrac Agami. By Ptolemy it is divided into five diftricts, viz. Caminfine, rior Gamifene, Partheyne, Choroane, Atticene, and Tabiene. The ancient geographers enumerate a great many cities in this country. Ptolemy in particular reckons 25 large cities; and it certainly muft have been very populous, fince we have accounts of 2000 villages, befides a number of cities, in this district, being destroyed by earthquakes. Its capital was named Hecatompolis, from the circumftance of its having 100 gates. It was a noble and magnificent place; and, according to fome, it ftill remains under the name of Ifpahan, the capital of the present Perfian empire.

2

Whence

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Parthia is by fome fupposed to have been first peopled by the Phetri or Pathri, often mentioned in Scripture, and that the Parthians are defcended from Pathrufim the fon. of Mifraim. But however true this may be with regard to the ancient inhabitants, yet it is certain, that thofe Parthians who were fo famous in hiftory, defcended from the Scythians, though from what tribe we are not certainly informed.

PAR

Arfaces; but was ftill more unfortunate than he had Parthia. been in the former, being not only defeated in a great battle, but taken prisoner, and died in captivity. The day on which Arfaces gained this victory was ever after obferved among the Parthians as an extraordinary feftival. Arfaces being thus fully established in his new kingdom, reduced Hyrcania and fome other provinces under his power; and was at laft killed in a battle againft Ariarathes IV. king of Cappadocia. From this prince all the other kings of Parthia took the furname of Arfaces, as thofe of Egypt did that of Ptolemy, from Ptolemy Soter.

Arfaces I. was fucceeded by his fon Arfaces II. who, entering Media, made himself master of that country, while Antiochus the Great was engaged in a war with Ptolemy Euergetes king of Egypt. Antiochus, however, was no fooner difengaged from that war, than he marched with all his forces against Arfaces, and at firft drove him quite out of Media. But he foon returned with an army of 100,000 foot and 20,000 horfe, with which he put a stop to the further progress of Antiochus; and a treaty was foon after concluded, in which it was agreed, that Arfaces fhould remain master of Parthia and Hyrcania, upon condition of his affifting him in his wars with other nations.

The hiftory of the ancient Parthians is totally loft. All that we know about them is, that they were first fubject to the Medes, afterwards to the Perfians, and lafly to Alexander the Great. After his death the province fell to Seleucus Nicator, and was held by him and his fucceffors till the reign of Antiochus Theus, about the year 250 before Chrift. At this time the Parthians revolted, and chofe one Arfaces for their Cave of king. The immediate cause of this revolt was the the Par lewdnefs of Agathocles, to whom Antiochus had committed the care of all the provinces beyond the Euphrates. This man made an infamous attempt on Tiridates, a youth of great beauty; which fo enraged his brother Arfaces, that he excited his countrymen to revolt; and before Antiochus had leifure to attend to the rebellion, it became too powerful to be crushed. Seleucus Callinicus, the fucceffor of Antiochus Theus, attempted to reduce Arfaces; but the latter having had fo much time to ftrengthen himself, defeated and drove his antagonist out of the country. Seleucus, however, in a fhort time, undertook another expedition against

VOL. XVI. Part I.

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Arfaces II. was fucceeded by his fon Priapatius, who Conquefts reigned 15 years, and left three fons, Phraates, Mithri- of the Pardates, and Artabanus. Phraates, the eldeft, fucceeded thian moto the throne, and reduced under his fubjection the narchs. Mardi, who had never been conquered by any but Alexander the Great. After him, his brother Mithridates was invefted with the regal dignity. He reduced the Bactrians, Medes, Perfians, Elymeans, and overran in a manner all the eaft, penetrating beyond the boundaries of Alexander's conquefts. Demetrius Nicator, who then reigned in Syria, endeavoured to recover those provinces; but his army was entirely deftroyed, and himself, taken prifoner, in which state he remained till his death; after which victory Mithridates made himfelf master of Babylonia and Mefopotamia, so that he now commanded all the provinces from between the Euphrates and the Ganges.

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with his

Mithridates died in the 37th year of his reign, and Antiochus left the throne to his fon Phrahates II. who was fcarce Sidetes defettled in his kingdom when Antiochus Sidetes march-troyed ed against him at the head of a numerous army, under whole arpretence of delivering his brother Demetrius, who was my ftill in captivity. Phrahates was defeated in three pitched

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