Rostam: Did you mean...?

Rostam, Yazdegerd III's general, slain by Sa'd, the son of Vaqqâs the Arab, illustration from the Tarjumah-i Shâhnâmah (Translation of Shahnameh into Turkish, Spencer Coll. Turk. MS. 1), 1616-1620. New York Public Library, Digital Collections...

Yazdegerd III (r. 632-651) was the last monarch of the Sassanian Empire (224-651), ruling – or attempting to rule – amidst the chaos of its final decline and fall to the invading Muslim Arabs. He was the son of the prince Shahriyar (d. 628...

Ctesiphon was an ancient city and trade center on the east bank of the Tigris River founded during the reign of Mithridates I (the Great, 171-132 BCE). It is best known in the modern day for the single-span arch, Taq Kasra, which is the most...

Iran, or Persia as it was formerly known, is a country with a long and rich history stretching back thousands of years and where many civilisations thrived. With 24 historical sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List and each with...

The Sassanian Empire (224-651) was the greatest expression of Persian culture in the ancient world. It was consciously modeled on the earlier Achaemenid Empire (c. 550-330 BCE) which established Persian supremacy in the region and developed...

The Sasanian Empire (224-651 CE, also given as Sassanian, Sasanid or Sassanid) was the last pre-Islamic Persian empire, established in 224 CE by Ardeshir I, son of Papak, descendant of Sasan. The Empire lasted until 651 CE when it was overthrown...

As a young girl interested in archaeology and history, mummies always intrigued me. From the intricate Egyptian mummies to the naturally and beautifully preserved mummies of the Incas, they seemed to me to be beautiful pieces of art containing...

Ardashir V of Persis | Ardeshir the Unifier | Ardashir I | اردشیر یکم (l. c. 180-241 CE, r. 224-240 CE) A visual representation of Ardeshir I (the Unifier), founder of the Sasanian Empire (Larger Iran). This representation is largely based...

Rock relief of Ardashir I (r. 224-240 CE). Naqsh-e Rostam.

Relief at Naqsh-e Rostam, Iran, depicting Emperor Valerian's capture by Shapur I in 260 CE.