Steve Collins
October 1, 2008
The link below documents that archaeologists have discovered an ancient Parthian castle from Northern Iran which was apparently “burned down about 2200 years ago.” It is worth mentioning each time a Parthian site is located because the modern Iranian government is destroying many pre-Islamic sites archaeological sites (including Parthian ones), so it is vital to comment about them while their existence can be confirmed.
This particular Parthian castle dates to approximately 200 BC. This would date it to the early period of the Parthian Empire when the Parthians were founding and expanding their empire via the wars against the Seleucid Greek Empire which had come into existence after the death of Alexander the Great. It would appear that the Parthians were on the losing end of the battle at this castle site, and the Parthian victory over the Seleucids was not assured until circa 129 BC.
It is noteworthy that the Parthian site is called a “castle.” As readers of my books know, the Parthian Empire was led and dominated by the descendants of the ten tribes of Israel who had migrated into an Asian exile from the old Promised Land in the biblical kingdom of Israel. The Parthian Empire later fell circa 227 AD and its massive numbers of refugees migrated toward the Black Sea region where they merged with the Goths (“Scythians”) of that region and later invaded the Roman Empire in Europe. These Parthian descendants eventually conquered the European continent and again built castles and reestablished the Feudal system of government which had characterized the Parthian Empire.
One other point is worth noting–especially for those interested in biblical prophecy. After the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was divided into four sections ruled by his generals, fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel 8:20-22. From these four kingdoms emerged the two empires of the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Greece. These were, respectively, the biblical kingdoms known in Daniel 11:2 (and afterward) as the “kings of the south” and the “kings of the north.” The Seleucid Greek empire was the “king of the north” power. Many students of the Bible assume the Roman Empire assumed the mantle of the “king of the north” power after the Seleucid Empire fell. I do not believe that view is correct. When you look at maps showing the territory of the Seleucid Greek Empire, it is apparent that its territory was overwhelmingly conquered by and absorbed into the Parthian Empire which was dominated by the ten tribes of Israel. The Roman Empire took a slice of the Seleucid territory on the western side, but the Parthians took over the vast bulk of the “king of the north’s” territory. I think it is significant that the Bible leaps from the “Seleucids vs. the Ptolemies” wars in the first portion of Daniel 11 straight to the “time of the end” at least by Daniel 11:40.
Who took over the empire and territory of the “king of the north” in ancient times? It was the Israelite empire of Parthia! This may have considerable importance in determining what peoples constitute the “king of the north” power in the “time of the end” prophecies at the end of Daniel 11.
http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2008/August2008/27-08.htm
