Battle of Hormozdgān

Date	April 28, 224 AD
Location	Near Shushtar, Khuzestan, Iran
Result	Decisive Sasanian victory

Belligerents

Parthian Empire

Sasanian Empire

Commanders and leaders

Artabanus V †

Ardashir I
Shapur I

Strength

An army larger than Ardashir I's army

10,000 cavalry

The Battle of Hormozdgān was the climactic battle between the Parthian and the Sassanid Empires that took place on April 28, 224 AD. The Sassanid victory broke the power of the Arsacid dynasty, effectively ending almost five centuries of Parthian rule in Iran, the rest of the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

The battle was the culmination of rivalry between Ardashir I son of Papak, Parthian vassal king of Persis and his overlord, Shahanshah Artabanus V of Parthia. Ardashir ascended the throne of Persis in 208 AD after deposing his elder brother, Shapur. He immediately started expanding his domains and quickly conquered neighboring provinces of Kerman, Isfahan, Susiana (modern Khuzestan), and Mesene (modern Maysan). This expansion brought the attention of the Arscacid Great King Artabanus V (reign 216–224 AD).

After a period of negotiation and maneuvering, war became inevitable. Ardashir moved his army into Khuzestan in the spring of 224 AD and took a favorable position in the field of Hormozdgān, near the modern Iranian city of Shushtar. His position allowed him to control the water supplies on the field. Artabanus moved with his army from the Arsacid capital of Ctesiphon in Mesopotamia, and had to take a less favorable position with limited access to water. What we know about the battle is based on biased Sassanian sources. The two armies clashed on April 28, 224 AD. Sassanian records indicate that the battle was over the same day.

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