Arche Seleukia difficulty level?

[gamegeek2]

Disagree - I try to kill off the Parthians as quick as possible before they start pumping cataphracts with their extra money (on VH). It's possible to do this with a good combination of Pantodapoi Phalangitai, Archers, Slingers, and FMs. Mercenary Thureophoroi and Peltastai are also invaluable as troops with actual armour.

Holding off the Ptolemies is easy enough - taking out Pahlava is hard when their armies are full of cataphracts. Do regular raids against Nisa and Khiva to take them, even if for a short time. Destroy their unit-recruiting infrastructure - it gets you money to fund more troops and mines, and sets them back a significant amount.