Sassanian Empire

The Sassanian Empire, also spelled Sasanian or Sassanid, was the last great pre-Islamic Persian empire, ruling from 224 to 651 CE. It succeeded the Parthian Empire and was founded by Ardashir I, who defeated the last Parthian king, Artabanus IV. The empire's capital was initially at Ctesiphon, near modern-day Baghdad in Iraq. It is regarded as one of the most powerful and culturally influential empires of its time, rivaling the Roman-Byzantine Empire.