THE PARTHIANS

THE PARTHIANS

Towards the end of the first century Be a line of kings with Iranian names usually known as the Parthians or the Pahlavas, gained the suzerainty of north-western India by conquering many parts from the Indo-Greek kings. The first Pahlava ruler was Mithridates who was a contemporary of Eukratides. He is said to have conquered the territory between the Indus and the Jhelum from Demetrius. The most important king of the dynasty was Gondophernes (20 Be-AD 45). During his rule St. Thomas is said to have come to India. Gondophernes was perhaps responsible for the extinction of the Greek line whose last king, Hermaeus had held out in Kabul against the Shakas.