After the death of Alexander the Great,
his
expansive empire was divided among three
of his
most loyal generals, with Seleucis
assuming
control of the eastern portion. The
Seleucid
Dynasty was thereby established,
following in
the footsteps of the Persian, Assyrian,
and
Babylonian Empires, with its capitals at
Antioch
(in modern Syria) and Seleucia (in
modern Iraq).
However, as history has shown,
maintaining calm
and order over such a large territory,
encompassing so many different cultures,
proved
difficult if not impossible. In 245
B.C., the
Parthians revolted against the Seleucids
under
the leadership of Satrap Andragoras,
igniting a
civil war that would lead to further
autonomy,
despite the continued recognition of the
Greek
kings as their superiors. Although the
Parthians
had been mentioned in Assyrian text as
early as
the 7th Century B.C., it was not until
the rise of
Mithradates I that the yoke of Seleucid
control
was tossed aside and Parthia reached the
heights
of its glory. Mithradates the Great
quickly
conquered the lands of Babylon, Media,
and
Elam, establishing a great empire that
would
rival Roman dominance and last until 224
A.D.
when the Sassanid Empire finally
subjugated
their lands.
Parthian ceramics fall into the
transitional phase
between the ancient and the Islamic
period. They
combined ancient techniques with new
procedures to produce very fine and
delicate
works. Twin handles with crenulated
thumb-
rests rise from the shoulder of the
vessel to the
neck, allowing the vessel to be safely
and
comfortably transported. The handsome
green-
glaze still shines with its original
luminosity,
enhanced by the presence of decorative
bosses
applied to the neck and shoulders of the
work.
At the bottom of the spherical body, a
mask of
ibex with long ridged horns forms a
small spout.
Most likely, this vase originally
contained oil or
some other such unguent. Considering
the size
of the piece, it might have held wine or
a similar
libation. This stunning vase reminds us
of the
glories of the Parthian Empire while
simultaneously heralding certain
aesthetic
devices and ceramic techniques that
would be
further elaborated upon during the
Islamic era.
- (X.0128)
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