Late Sasanian Empire Large Silver Drachmas (6Th-7Th Century Ce ) (NGC Slab)

The Sasanian Empire (/səˈsɑːniən, səˈseɪniən/), officially Ērānšahr (Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭩𐭥𐭠𐭭𐭱𐭲𐭥𐭩, lit. 'Empire of the Iranians'),^[8][9][a] was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for just over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign over ancient Iran was second only to the directly preceding Arsacid dynasty of Parthia.^[11][12]

Founded by Ardashir I, whose rise coincided with the decline of Arsacid influence in the face of both internal and external strife, the House of Sasan was highly determined to restore the legacy of the Achaemenid Empire by expanding and consolidating the Iranian nation's dominions. Most notably, after defeating Artabanus IV of Parthia during the Battle of Hormozdgan in 224, it began competing far more zealously with the neighbouring Roman Empire than the Arsacids had, thus sparking a new phase of the Roman–Iranian Wars. This effort by Ardashir's dynasty ultimately re-established Iran as a major power of late antiquity.^[13][14][15]