Persian Empire
A thousand years of Persian history — the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires, their culture, religion, armies, art, and enduring legacy.
10 in-depth guides · 38 deep dives · 40 questions answered
Three Empires, a Thousand Years
Achaemenid Empire
A history of the Achaemenid Empire from Cyrus the Great to Darius III, with attention to recent scholarship on the limits of the ancient evidence.
Read the guide → 20 minParthian Empire (247 BCE–224 CE)
A history of the Parthian or Arsacid Empire from its founding by Arsaces I to its overthrow by the Sasanians, with attention to the limits of the ancient evidence.
Read the guide → 16 minSasanian Empire (224–651 CE)
A survey of the Sasanian Empire, founded by Ardashir I, reaching its zenith under Khosrow I Anushirvan, exhausting itself under Khosrow II, and falling to the Arab Muslim conquest under Yazdegerd III.
Read the guide → 17 minExplore Every Page
Each topic begins with a comprehensive pillar guide, branches into focused deep dives, and ends with answers to the questions readers ask most.
History of the Persian Empire
A survey of more than a thousand years of Persian imperial history, covering the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian dynasties, with attention to recent scholarship on the limits of the ancient evidence.