Sassanian Empire

Sasanian Empire
Ērānshahr
224–651
Derafsh Kaviani Simurgh
The Sasanian Empire at its greatest extent c. 620 CE., under Khosrau II   Normal domains   Greatest temporary extent during Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628
Capital		Istakhr (224–226) Ctesiphon (226–637)
Languages		Middle Persian (official) Middle Aramaic (lingua franca) Parthian (administration, until the late 3rd-century) spoken in the north and east, and by the seven Parthian clans) Greek (administration, until the late 3rd-century) and regional) Other languages
Religion		Zoroastrianism (also Babylonian, Christianity, Manichaeism, Judaism, Mandaeism, Paganism, Mithraism, Hinduism, Buddhism)
Government		Feudal monarchy
Shahanshah
•	224–241	Ardashir I (first)
•	632–651	Yazdegerd III (last)
Historical era		Late Antiquity
•	Battle of Hormozdgān	28 April 224
•	Climactic Roman–Persian War of 602-628	602–628
•	Civil war	628-632
•	Muslim conquest	633–651
•	Empire collapses	651
Area
•	550	3,500,000 km² (1,351,358 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Parthian Empire Indo-Scythians Kingdom of Iberia Kushan Empire Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity) Lakhmids Qarinvand dynasty Zarmihrids Rashidun Caliphate Dabuyid dynasty Masmughans of Damavand Bavand dynasty

The Sasanian Empire (/səˈsɑːniən/ or /səˈseɪniən/), also known as Sassanian, Sasanid, Sassanid or Neo-Persian Empire), known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr in Middle Persian, was the last imperial dynasty in Persia (Iran) before the rise of Islam, ruled by and named after the Sasanian dynasty from 224 to 651 AD. The Sasanian Empire, which succeeded the Parthian Empire, was recognized as one of the leading world powers alongside its neighboring arch-rival the Roman-Byzantine Empire, for a period of more than 400 years.

The Sasanian Empire was founded by Ardashir I, after the fall of the Parthian Empire and the defeat of the last Arsacid king, Artabanus V. At its greatest extent, the Sasanian Empire encompassed all of today's Iran, Iraq, Eastern Arabia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatif, Qatar, UAE), the Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan), Armenia, the Caucasus (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, South Ossetia, Abkhazia), Egypt, large parts of Turkey, much of Central Asia (Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan), Yemen and Pakistan. According to a legend, the vexilloid of the Sasanian Empire was the Derafsh Kaviani.