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Iran before Islam: The Sasanians
Iran before Islam: The Sasanians
The Sasanian dynasty ruled Iran and most of the
ancient Near East from AD 224 until AD 642. The last Sasanian king,
Yazdgird III, died in 651. The Sasanians were originally local
rulers in Parsa (Fars) in southern Iran before seizing power from
the previous dynasty, the Parthians. The dynasty was founded by
Ardashir I (ruled AD 224-41) and named after Sasan, a legendary
ancestor.
The Sasanians
were followers of Zoroastrianism, an ancient Iranian religion named
after the prophet Zarathustra (Greek Zoroaster). This religion to
this day has followers in Iran, India (Parsees) and other parts of
the world. In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda is the Wise Lord and
creator of all things spiritual and physical. The Sasanians
expressed the divine aspect of their rule in many ways, including
on coins, rock reliefs and silver plates. During their rule,
architecture and the arts
flourished.
Sasanian
military success brought them into conflict with Rome and later
Byzantium. The empire eventually collapsed under the force of the
Arab army in AD 642 and Zoroastrianism was replaced with
Islam.
This tour was
written to accompany the exhibition Iran
before Islam: Religion and Propaganda, AD
224-651, at the British Museum from 30
June 2005 to 8 January 2006.