The Parthian Empire
The Parthians were an Iranian tribe from Central Asia. They defeated the Greek Seleucids and established the Parthian Empire in 141 BC. The Parthians were Zoroastrians, but they were very tolerant of other religions. So, Iran became home to many Christians, Jews, and Buddhists. Some Parthians worshipped the Greek gods. The above statue from 148 BC shows Heracles, the Greek god of war, who was popular among the Parthians.
