| c. 250 BC |
Diodotus, satrap of Bactria, achieves independence from Seleucid empire. |
| 247 BC |
Arsaces, leaderof Parni, conquers the satrapy of Parthia |
210 - 208 BC |
Campaigns of Antiochus III lead to temporary Greek recovery of Seleucid empire. |
| 188 BC |
Antiochus defeated by Rome. Parthians recover lost territory, and expand south and west. |
| 171 - 139 BC |
Mehrdad I conquers Mesopotamia amnd western Iran from the Seleucids. |
| 139 - 123 BC |
Farhad II and Ardavan I consolidate Parthian rule in Mesopotamia and westen Iran. Both killed fighting the Saka in the north west. |
| 124 - 87 BC |
Mehrdad II establishes Parthian empire as an unchallenged power. First Parthian interst in Armenia. |
| 96 BC |
Meeting of Parthian Orobazus with Roman general Sulla. |
| 69 66 BC |
Parthian treaties with Romans Lucullus and Pompey recognise Euphrates as a frontier. |
| 53 BC |
Invasion of Parthia by Crassus ends in Roman disaster at Carrhae. |
| 44 BC |
Assassination of Julius Caesar aborts his planned invasion of Parthia. |
| 41 - 38 BC |
Victories by Roman Ventidius cancel Parthian gains in Syria ansd Anatolia. |
| 36 BC |
Failure of Mark Antony's invasion of Parthia. |
| 20 BC |
Peace between Roman emperor Augustus and Parthian king Farhad IV. Parthians return captured standards and prisoners. Armenia recognised as a Roman area. |
| AD 12 |
Parthians reject Roman educated king Vonones in favour of Ardavan II. |
| AD 38 - 45 |
Civil war in Parthia between Vardan and Godarz II. |
| AD 51 - 63 |
Under Valkash I tussle between Rome and Parthia over Armenia |
| AD 63 |
Treaty or Rhandeia between Rome and Parthia recognises Roman sovereigny but Parthian right to appoint the king. |
| AD 66 |
Tirdad crowned king of Armenia by Nero in Rome. |
| AD 72 - |
Alan invasion and civil war: Parthia in chaos. |
| AD 114 - 117 |
Roman emperor Trajan invades Parthia - capture of Ctesiphon. Armenia and Mesopotamia made provinces. Trajan dies. |
| AD 117 |
Hadrian gives up the new provinces, and Euphrates becomes the frontier once again. |
| AD 161 - 165 |
Valkash IV invades Armenia and Syria, but is driven back by Romans, who capture Ctesiphon again. Plague forces Romans to withdraw. |
| AD 195 |
Mesopotamia again a province under Septimius Severus. |
| AD 198 - |
Severus and Caracalla invade Parthia without success, but distraction enables growth of independent power in Persis. Sasanians Pabag and Ardashir expand rule into south west Iran. |
| AD 224 |
Defeat of Ardvan IV by Ardashir brings era of Parthian rule to an end. Beginning of Sasanian empire. |
