Editing Parni (section)

==Rise to prominence==
{{main|Parni conquest of Parthia}}
In 247 BCE, [[Andragoras (3rd century BC)|Andragoras]], the [[Seleucid]] governor ([[satrap]]) of [[Parthia (satrapy)|Parthia]] ("roughly western [[Greater Khorasan|Khurasan]]"{{sfn|Bickerman|1983|p=6}}) proclaimed independence from the Seleucids, when—following the death of [[Antiochus II]]—[[Ptolemy III]] seized control of the Seleucid capital at [[Antioch]], and "so left the future of the Seleucid dynasty for a moment in question."{{sfn|Bivar|2003|loc=para. 6}}

Meanwhile, "a man called [[Arsaces I|Arsaces]], of Scythian or Bactrian{{ref_label|Arsaces_Bactrian|a|none}} origin, [was] elected leader of the Parni tribes."{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2007|p=7}} Following the secession of Parthia from the Seleucid Empire and the resultant loss of Seleucid military support, Andragoras had difficulty in maintaining his borders, and about 238 BCE—under the command of "Arsaces and his brother [[Tiridates I of Parthia|Tiridates]]"{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2007|p=7}}<!-- [[Tiridates I]] linkage per: -->{{sfn|Bivar|1983|p=29}}—the [[Parni conquest of Parthia|Parni invaded]]{{sfn|Bickerman|1983|p=19}} Parthia and seized control of Astabene (Astawa), the northern region of that territory, the administrative capital of which was Kabuchan ([[Kuchan]] in the vulgate).

A short while later, the Parni seized the rest of Parthia from Andragoras, killing him in the process. Although an initial [[punitive expedition]] by the Seleucids under [[Seleucus II]] was not successful, the Seleucids under [[Antiochus III]] recaptured Arsacid-controlled territory following the [[Battle of Mount Labus]] in 209 BCE from Arsaces' (or Tiridates'{{ref_label|succession|b|none}}) successor, [[Arsaces II]]. Arsaces II sued for peace and accepted vassal status,{{sfn|Bivar|1983|p=29}} and it was not until Arsaces II's grandson (or grand-nephew) [[Phraates I]], that the Arsacids/Parni would again begin to assert their independence.{{sfn|Bivar|1983|p=31}}

For the historiographers upon whose documentation the reconstruction of early Arsacid history depends, the Parni had by then become indistinguishable from the Parthians.