Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

XXIX PARTHIA, ROME, AND PONTUS ^^S
the growth of Armenia with deep concern, as Tigranes,
who owed his throne to Parthian support and who had
ceded some territory in payment for it, had not only taken
back his gift, but had even annexed provinces across the
Parthian border. Consequently, when Sulla reached the
Euphrates, a Parthian ambassador was sent to him to
propose an offensive and defensive alliance with Rome. It
was a full meeting of portent, and Sulla gained unbounded
prestige by assuming the place of honour between the King
of Cappadocia and Orobazus the Parthian ambassador.
I The latter afterwards paid with his lifs for not maintaining
Parthian honour as its monarch considered that it should
have been maintained. Sulla was unable to conclude a
at all events
treaty and perhaps was reluctant to do so ;
the matter dropped. It is, however, of interest to note
that the two states which were destined to champion for so
long the rival interests of East and West met at first in
I friendly intercourse and with proposals for an alliance.
The Earliest Intercourse of China with Parthia^ 120-
88 B.C.— It is at least of equal interest to know that
Mithradates II. was not only the first Parthian monarch
to open relations with the Great Republic of the West,
but that he also received the first Chinese embassy which
visited Iran.^
It is generally agreed by Chinese scholars that until
of the West. But
140 B.C. China had no knowledge
under the Han dynasty missions were despatched in every
direction, and more than one of these penetrated as far as
Parthia, which is termed An-Sih— the Chinese form of
Arsaces, as Kingsmill first pointed out. The Chinese
description of Parthia is to the effect that rice, wheat, and
the vine were cultivated, that the cities were walled, and
that it was a very great country. Reference, moreover, is
made to the use of silver coins bearing the effigy of the
reigning monarch. It was also reported that " they make
signs on leather from side to side^ by way of literary
1 Vide
"
Chinese Knowledge of Early Persia," by E. H. Parker {Asiatic ii^uarterly,
January, 1903); The Intercourse of China toith Central and Western Asia in the Second
Century B.C. (Shanghai, 1880), by T. W. Kingsmill, and China and the Roman Orient, by
Dr. F. Hirth.
2 Chinese writing runs from top to bottom, and consequently a horizontal script
would strike the observant traveller.
*