Parthia

American

[pahr-thee-uh] / ˈpɑr θi ə /

noun

an ancient country in W Asia, SE of the Caspian Sea: conquered by the Persians a.d. 226; now a part of NE Iran.

Parthia British

/ ˈpɑːθɪə /

noun

a country in ancient Asia, southeast of the Caspian Sea, that expanded into a great empire dominating SW Asia in the 2nd century _bc It was destroyed by the Sassanids in the 3rd century _ad

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In addition to winged Victories like that shown in the mock-up Trump’s arch, the sculptural program of the Arch of Severus includes depictions of four major battles in Parthia and the spoils of war.

From Salon • Nov. 5, 2025

Keeping control over the vast kingdom proved difficult, and some of the far eastern portions like Bactria and Parthia began to break away around 250 BCE.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

In the ancient world, all were in the sphere of two competing superpowers — Rome to the west and Parthia to the east — and though imperial influence was strong, it was far from all-determining.

From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2019

The first thing you see as you enter is early Islamic pottery made in Basra in 600BC and a display of coins from ancient Parthia in 350BC.

From BBC • Oct. 8, 2016

A Failed Expedition When news from Parthia at last reached Cleopatra, it was not good.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023