The Parni – members of the Scythian (Saka) tribal confederation – moved into Parthia in the early third century BC, from where they got their got their historical name. As a militarized nomadic people, Parthians were famed for their horses and horsemanship, as well as hunting, warfare and drinking. Marking the beginning of the Parthian kingdom, Arsaces I was elected king of the Parni in 247 BC. After conquering Parthia and its Hellenized neighbor provinces, the Parthians adopted a veneer of Hellenistic culture, but it never replaced their nomadic origins. Even after 450 years of ruling an ancient cradle of civilization, Parthian kings still needed to be superb horsemen, hunters and warriors in order to rule!

Under Mithridates the Great (165-132 BC), Parthia became a major trading power, occupying the western crossroads of both the land and sea routes of Eurasia. Parthian rulers maintained their crucial position at the center of the Silk Road trade network at all costs. However, Parthia was often plagued by civil wars, successive waves of steppe tribes, and intermittent wars with Rome that threatened to disrupt the all-important trade income.

The Parthians were the only empire of the first Silk Roads era to be in regular direct contact with China, Kushan, and Rome. This was the deliberate result of Parthian foreign policy aimed at protecting their status as middlemen in the lucrative trade system. Since the Kushans and Chinese were already trading partners, it was critically important for the Parthians to prevent Roman merchants from making contact with their Chinese or Kushan counterparts.