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Parni
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Parni were originally a nomad tribe of the Central Asian steppes, which was the home of Indo-European tribes who spoke Parnian or wide variety of languages but predominantly Iranian languages. Most of the these steppe nations were nomadic tribes for centuries, such as the Scythians, Saka, and Sarmatians. Being nomads, they roamed across the plains, incidentally attacking the urbanized countries to the south, east and west. Linguistically the Parni were Eastern Iranian and their language was known as Parnian as opposed to Parthian which was the official language of the Parthian empire and Western Iranian.
The Parni were unknown before the 3rd century BC. The country where they lived, along the river Syr Darya (Jaxartes), was occupied by the tribe that the Persians knew as the Dahae or Dahâ (literally 'robber Scythians'). It is likely that this tribe disintegrated after the fall of the Persian Empire; the new rulers, the kings of the Seleucid dynasty, were never able to control the country of what is now Mazandaran, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Perhaps the Parni came into being in this period. The first Parthian king, Arsaces, is said to have been of Parnian origin. Armenian chronicles identify this nation as White Huns who are generally considered relatives of the Indo-European Germanic speaking tribes. Tajiks are considered to be ralated with Parni. Tajiks and people living in Tacitus Germania are proved to be parentaly related by molecular genetics research and R1a1 frequency.
In any case, nomads started to move to the south, to the countries known as Bactria, Aria and Parthia.
The Seleucid king Antiochus I Soter (280-261) was the first to take measures. It is certain that he re-founded a city in Margiana; up til then it had been known as Alexandria, because it was founded by Alexander of Macedon in 328, but from now on it was to be called Antiochia. This military settlement was intended to guard Iran against incursions from nomad tribes, such as the Parni.
It was insufficient, however. In 245, the satrap of Parthia, a man named Andragoras, revolted from the young Seleucid king Seleucus II, who had just succeeded to the throne. In the confusion, the Parni under Arsaces attacked and seized the northern part of Parthia, a district known as Astavene, probably in 238. About 235, a Parnian prince with the name Tiridates (Modern Persian Tirdad, meaning 'Great archer' or 'gift of the goddess Tir') ventured further south and seized the rest of Parthia. A counter-offensive by king Seleucus ended in disaster, and Hyrcania was also subdued by the Parni.
From then on, the Parni were known as Parthians. In the years that followed, especially under the reign of Antiochus III (223-187 BC), the Parthian kings recognized the Seleucid king as their superiors. In 209 BC Antiochus invaded Parthia, occupied the capital Hecatompylus and pushed forward into Hyrcania. The Parthian king Arsaces II sued for peace.
Under Mithradates I (171-138) the Parthians conquered Media, Babylonia, and Elam from the Seleucids. The Parthian empire was to last until AD 224, when it was succeeded by the Sassanid empire.
Parni is originally a Persian name, with various meanings; one of which is "silk" or any other soft silky fabric that is derived from plants and insects. The other meaning of the name "Parnian" is said to have been a very strong wine or an acute sword. The name has been used in Shahnameh of Ferdowsi intending the latter (acute sword).