Parthia

An ancient country of southwest Asia corresponding to modern northeast Iran. It was included in the Assyrian and Persian empires, the Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great, and the Syrian empire. A Parthian kingdom lasted from c. 250 B.C. to A.D. 226, reaching the height of its influence and landholdings at the beginning of the first century B.C. Parthian soldiers were renowned as horsemen and archers.