Sasanians

The Sasanians, also spelled Sassanids, were the rulers and the people of the Sasanian Empire, which dominated much of Iran and surrounding regions from 224 to 651 CE. The dynasty was founded by Ardashir I after overthrowing the Parthian Arsacids, and the name derives from the Sasan clan. At its height the empire stretched from the Caucasus and Mesopotamia to parts of the Indian subcontinent, with the capital at Ctesiphon near modern Baghdad.

The Sasanian state was a centralized monarchy led by the shahanshah, or king of kings, supported by a nobility known as the wuzurgan and a substantial administrative apparatus. The empire maintained a tax system, a standing military, and a network of roads that facilitated trade along the Silk Road. Zoroastrianism was the state religion and shaped religious institutions, law, and culture, although Christians, Jews, and other communities lived within the empire with varying degrees of tolerance throughout its history. Persian culture, court life, and language (Middle Persian) flourished, and Sasanian art and architecture—exemplified by structures such as the Taq Kasra arch at Ctesiphon and monumental rock reliefs—left a lasting legacy.

The Sasanians sustained frequent conflicts with the Roman and Byzantine empires, as well as eastern powers, contributing to significant political and military developments in late antiquity. In the 6th century, reforms under rulers like Khosrow I helped stabilize and expand the realm, while science, translation, and cultural exchange enriched the broader region.

Decline began in the 7th century amid protracted wars with the Byzantines and the rapid Muslim conquests. By 651, the Sasanian state collapsed, though its cultural and religious legacy influenced subsequent Persian and Islamic civilizations.