In so far the Parthian empire was the genuine coun terpart to the Roman. As in the one the Oriental vice royship is an exceptional occurrence, so in the other is the Greek city; the general Oriental aristocratic character of the Parthian government is as little injuriously affected by the Greek mercantile towns on the west coast as is the civic organisation of the Roman state by the vassal king doms of Cappadocia and Armenia. While in the state of the Caesars the romano-greek urban commonwealth spreads more and more, and gradually becomes the general form of administration, the foundation of towns the true mark of helleno-roman civilisation, which embraces the Greek mercantile cities and the military colonies of Rome as well as the grand settlements of Alexander and the Alexandrids — suddenly breaks off with the emergence of the Parthian government in the East, and even the existing Greek cities of the Parthian empire wane in the further course of development. There, as here, the rule more and more prevails over the exceptions.