It's time to welcome a new group onto the Hellenistic stage which we haven't really dealt with before but will have ample reason to in the future- the Parthians! As they were first mentioned in episode 41 in the context of the eastern satrapies, this episode is going to introduce them properly. Along the way, we'll also explore the battle of Gaugamela, welcome some familiar names back for one-episode cameos and jump forward in time a bit to discuss the foundation of the Parthian Empire under Arsaces I...

Sources for this episode: 1) Bloom, J. and Blair, S. (2001), Islam: Empire of Faith. London: BBC Worldwide Ltd. 2) Doughterty, M. J., ed. (2012), 100 Battles. Bath: Parragon. 3) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2016), Andragoras (online) [Accessed c.12/08/2021]. 4) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2019), Parni (online) [Accessed c.12/08/2021]. 5) The Editors, Encyclopaedia Britannica (2020), Ten Thousand Immortals (online) [Accessed 17/10/2021]. 6) Ghirshman, R., Dresden, M. J., Bivar, A. D. H. and Young, T. C., Encyclopaedia Britannica (2018), ancient Iran (online) [Accessed c.12/08/2021 and 30/10/2021]. 7) Lendering, J., Livius (1996, last changed 2020), Parthian Empire (online) [Accessed 12/08/2021]. 8) Olbrycht, M. J. (2015), Arsacid Iran and the Nomads of Central Asia - Ways of Cultural Transfer. Chapter in: Bemmann, J., Schmauder, S. (eds)., Complexity of Interaction along the Eurasian Steppe Zone in the First Millenium CE. Bonn Contributions to Asian Archaeology 7. 9) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Arsaces I of Parthia (online) [Accessed 10/10/2021 and 27/10/2021]. 10) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Battle of Gaugamela (online) [Accessed 27/10/2021 and 30/10/2021]. 11) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), List of monarchs in Persia (online) [Accessed 10/10/2021]. 12) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), List of Parthian monarchs (online) [Accessed 10/10/2021 and 27/10/2021]. 13) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Parni [Accessed c.12/08/2021]. 14) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Parthian Empire (online) [Accessed 12/08/2021]. 15) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Spitamenes (online) [Accessed 03/10/2021]. 16) Author unknown, Wikipedia (date unknown), Syr Darya (online) [Accessed 17/10/2021].