Acts of Apostle Thomas

II AD 30 - 40 PARTHIAN MISSION APOSTLE THOMAS IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
The Parthian empire came to an end when the Persians, who had been Parthian subjects for years, defeated
them in battle. The empire of Parthia, which had existed for four hundred years, came to an end around 224
A.D”.
Parthia: The Forgotten Ancient Superpower
by Steven M. Collins”
During the 476 years that the Parthian Empire existed, all nations and empires of the world became part of
the extensive Roman Empire except the following four: Caledonia-Scotland, China Dynasties, Kushan
Empire and the Parthian Empire. Parthia was the largest of the four empire nations that did not come under
the power of, or become part of the extensive Roman Empire. The lack of information on Parthia is likely
resulted from the fact that history has been taught almost exclusively from a Greco-Roman perspective.
Local potentates played an important role and the king had to respect their privileges. Several noble
families had a vote in the Royal council; the Sûrên clan had the right to crown the Parthian
king; and every aristocrat was allowed/expected to retain an army of his own. The constituent
parts of the empire were surprisingly independent and were allowed to strike their own coins,
which was, in Antiquity, very rare. These are reminiscent of the period of Judges. Parthia controlled
the Silk Road, the route from the Mediterranean Sea to China.
Various officials of the Achaemenid Persian Empire were from the Israelite tribe of Judah, and the Parthians
were themselves descendants of the ten tribes of Israel. The term “Iran” comes from the ‘Ephraimite
clan named after “Eran,” and even the name of the language “Pahlavi” contains the name of the Israelite
tribe of Levi! The name Parthia itself comes from the consonants are “B-R-TH,” the consonants of the Hebrew
word for “Covenant.” The name Parthia simply means People of the Covenant. The very language of
the Parthian Kingdom was Pahlavi which is same as Aramaic the language spoken by Jesus – of Semitic
origin.
In the “sceptre”promise of Genesis 49:10 King David was promised that he would always have descendants
ruling over the House of Israel (Jeremiah 33:17). Jeremiah’s prophecy was made after the relocation
of the House of Israel (the northern ten tribes) into Asia. Therefore, because of the timing of Jeremiah’s
prophecy, we should expect to find descendants of King David ruling over the ten tribes of Israel after they
moved to Asia.
15