City and Urbanization during Parthian Period in Great Sistan

Gradual and evolutionary process of urbanization in Sistan plain started with the extensive emergence of the Bronze Age (at the end of 4th millennium B.C.) sites and its continuation in historical periods is associated with the formation of important cities of the Achaemenian, Seleucid, and Sassanid periods. Meanwhile, lack of comprehensive and exhaustive studies about cities and urbanization during the Seleucid and Parthian eras in the eastern parts of Iran encouraged the authors of the present study to classify and analyze all the features and characteristics of the cities and sites of these periods by analyzing and investigating about 400 sites and settlements related to this era. And then, the visage of the cities in the Seleucid and Parthian periods in this scope was drawn. Thus, it was identified that the early cities were formed based on Hellenism tradition and with the centralization of the Greek colonies in Sistan and then, with the rise of the Parthian dynasty, based on the political, military, and economic requirements, shape of cities from the Hippodamus type was transformed into the Parthian round cities.It was a prosperous land, populated with an abundance of water resources in Parthian era according to monuments and archaeological evidences. These factors led to build many towns and villages on its northern and southern parts. This event was made due to favorable environmental conditions of Sistan (such as: Plenty of water, good soil, warm weather, hotbeds, fishing and hunting and also trade) during Parthian era.