History of Wars Summary 19 - Roman-Persian Wars 3: The Rise of the Sasanian Dynasty

With the fall of the Parthians and the rise of the Sasanian dynasty in the early 3rd century, the Roman eastern front entered a new phase. In 224 AD, Ardashir I overthrew the last Parthian dynasty and established a strong, centralized state. The Sasanian dynasty, claiming to inherit the former territories and authority of the Achaemenid Empire, expanded its influence in Mesopotamia and Armenia. Clashes with Rome soon followed. In the 230s, Sasanian forces attacked Roman territories in Mesopotamia, prompting Roman Emperor Alexander Severus to launch a campaign. Thereafter, both nations continued to fight over cities and fortresses between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. From this period, the conflict evolved beyond simple border disputes into a long-term rivalry between the two empires, each seeking to assert its sphere of influence. Armenia, in particular, repeatedly became a battlefield between these two great powers.