| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Encyclopedia of ancient history |
| Editors | Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine, Sabine R Huebner |
| Place of Publication | Malden, MA |
| Publisher | Wiley-Blackwell, Wiley |
| Pages | 6051–6056 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781444338386 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Abstract
The Sasanian Dynasty ruled ancient Iran together with parts of Central Asia and India from ca. 224 to 650 ce. The Sasanians were more warlike than their Parthian predecessors, and their support for Zoroastrianism at times elevated the religion to an exclusive status. In their conflicts with the Romans the Sasanians were often victorious, but persistent difficulties with tribal groups from Central Asia and Arabia limited their capacity to extend the empire. Contemporary sources on the Sasanians are limited, with much of the information on them coming from Byzantine and Arabic annalistic sources.