Sassanid Dynasty
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Definition: The kings of the Sassanid Dynasty, from A.D. 224-651, ruled an empire similar in extent to the Persian Empire of the earlier Achaemenid Dynasty. The Sassanid capital was at Ctesiphon (now Tak-i-Kesra), about 20 miles southeast of Baghdad.
Shaking off the influence of the Greeks, the Sassanids revived earlier Persian customs, including rigid social stratification, and adopted Zoroastrian beliefs.
The Sassanids fought repeatedly with the Roman or Byzantine Empire. Eventually the Arabs invaded and conquered the Sassanids.
Alternate Spellings: Sasanid
Related Resources:
Introduction to Ancient Persia
Ancient Iran - The Sassanids, A.D. 224-642
Longevity of the Persian Empire
Afghanistan Under the Achaemenids
Elsewhere on the Web:
History of Iran - Sassanid Empire
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