Pahlavas

Pahlavas is the name used in ancient Indian texts, such as the Manusmriti, the epics and the Puranas, for a people from the north-west usually identified with the Parthians, especially the Indo-Parthian rulers of the first century CE. They are often listed with the Shakas and Yavanas as foreigners. A theory linking the South Indian Pallava dynasty with them on the basis of the name has little support.