The Sasanians

[jlueke]

Founded in 226 AD and lasting until the Islamic conquest in the middle of the 7th century the Sasanian empire covered a wide area of the modern middle east, including Iraq, Iran, and portions of Afghanistan. A constant foil to both Roman and Byzantine emperors the Sasanian empire bridged the gap between the Western world and the Eastern realms of India and China.

 

While the worship at the fire altars and much of Zoroastrianism died out after the Islamic conquest many other innovations of the ancient Iranians persisted and influenced those who followed. Numismatically speaking, the major coinage of the empire, a large, flat silver drachm, was adopted by contemporary and successor realms alike from the Kushans of India, Turkish and Chinese tribes of the steppes, to the Arab rulers who took over the machinery of state.

 

Hormazd II