Seleucid Empire, the Hellenistic Iran

The only Greek dynasty in Iran was the Seleucid dynasty, who ruled Iran for about 80 years. In the year 330 BC Alexander the Macedonian attacked Persia and by the escape of the Persian king, Darius III, he got hold of the whole Achaemenid kingdom.

After the death of Alexander, one of his generals named Seleucus I established the Seleucid dynasty. Since then until 248 Iran was ruled by the Greeks and hence the influence of the Greek art, language and philosophy on Persia and Persians. During these 80 years great cultural exchanges took place and Buddhism was brought into Iran from India while Zoroastrianism influenced western Judaism.

There are not many remains from the Greeks in Iran, but a clear trace of the Seleucids in Iran is the rare Greek statue of Hercules in Bisetun, Kermanshah province.

The dynasty came to an end by the victory of the Parthians which were another group of the Aryan (Iranian) race.