ma ic ▁Egypt ▁and ▁the ▁Sele uc id ▁state ▁in ▁Western ▁Asia . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁century ▁of ▁hi atus , ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁Empire ▁was ▁rev ived ▁by ▁the ▁Par th ians ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁century ▁BC — and ▁continued ▁by ▁their ▁success ors , ▁the ▁S ass an ids ▁from ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁century ▁AD . ▁This ▁emp ire ▁domin ated ▁s izable ▁parts ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁Asian ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁influence ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁A si atic ▁and ▁African ▁Middle ▁East ▁region , ▁until ▁the ▁Arab ▁Muslim ▁con quest ▁of ▁Pers ia ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 7 th   century ▁AD . ▁Between ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁century ▁BC ▁and ▁the ▁early ▁ 7 th ▁century ▁AD , ▁the ▁region ▁was ▁completely ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁Rom ans ▁and ▁the ▁Par th ians ▁and ▁S ass an ids ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁which ▁often ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁various ▁Roman - Pers ian ▁Wars ▁over ▁the ▁seven ▁centuries . ▁Eastern ▁R ite , ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁Christian ity ▁took ▁hold ▁in ▁Pers ian - ru led ▁Mes op ot am ia , ▁particularly ▁in ▁Ass y ria ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁century ▁AD ▁on wards , ▁and ▁the ▁region ▁became ▁a ▁center ▁of ▁a ▁fl our ishing ▁Sy ri ac – Ass y rian ▁literary ▁tradition . ▁ ▁Greek ▁and ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁ ▁In ▁ 6 6 – 6 3 ▁BC , ▁the