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Sassanid Empire
(Kingdom of Eranshahr)

226 - 651 CE

A very brief history of Sassanid Empire

Sasanian dynasty was named after Sassan, the grand father of Ardashir I by later historians. It was called Kingdom of Eranshahr by rulers at the time.  Ardashir I was the ruler of Persis, a vassal state of Parthians. In 224 CE, he conquered weakened Parthian empire and established Sasanian Empire with Ctesiphon as capital. He introduced new coinage with Zoroastrian fire alter on the back of his coins with legends in Pahlavi script. He issued few gold and copper coins but most of his coins were silver. His campaigns won him all of Persia.

Later Sassinid Empire included today's Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Afghanistan, eastern parts of Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, eastern parts of Syria, north west India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. and parts of Arabia.

War with the Romans was a constant feature of Sasanian Empire during Ardashir I reign and many that followed.  Sasanian Empire fell into decline with internal conflict. When the last Sasanian Emperor Yazdagird III was assassinated in 651 CE, most of the Persia was under the control of Islamic Arabs.

Chronological list of Sassanian Emperors:

Ardashir I  226 - 241 CE

Shapur I   241 - 272 CE

Hormazd I   272 - 273 CE

Varhran I   273 - 276 CE

Varhran II  276 - 293 CE

Varhran III   293 CE

Narseh   293 - 302 CE

Hormizd   302 - 310 CE

Shapur II   310 - 379 CE

Ardashir II   379 - 383 CE

Shapur III  383 - 388 CE

Varhran IV  388 - 399 CE

Yazdigird I   399 - 420 CE

Varhran V   420 - 438 CE

Yazdigird II   438 - 457 CE

Hormazd III  457 - 459 CE

Peroz I  457 - 484 CE

Valkash  484 - 488 CE

Kavadh I  488 - 531 CE

Zamasp  496 - 498 CE

Khusro I  531 - 579 CE

Hormazd IV  579 - 590 CE

Varhran VI  590 - 591 CE

Vistahm  591 - 597 CE

Khusro II  591 - 628 CE

Kavadh II  628 CE

Ardashir III   628 - 630 CE

Peroz II   629 CE

Shahrbaraz   630 CE

Hormizd V 631 - 632 CE

Yazdigird III 632 - 651 CE

References:
Wikipedia
Rawlinson, George.,"The Seven Great Monarchies of the Ancient Eastern World: The Seventh Monarchy: History of the Sassanian or New Persian Empire" IndyPublish.com.
Christensen, A., "Sassanid Persia". The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume XII: The Imperial Crisis and Recovery (193-324 AD). Cook, S.A. et al, eds. Cambridge: University Press.1939.
Nicolle, David,.  "Sassanian Armies: the Iranian empire early 3rd to mid-7th centuries CE",  Montvert, 1996.
Valentine, W. H., Sassanian Coins.,  Rahul  1993.
Gobl,  Robert.,  Sassanian Numismatics. 2000.
 


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RK. March 5, 2006.