History of Wars Summary 19 - Roman-Persian Wars 6: The 5th Century Truce and New Rivalry

In the 5th century, as the Western Roman Empire weakened, clashes between Rome and the Sasanian Empire temporarily decreased. The Eastern Roman Empire, while maintaining control over the Balkans, Egypt, and Anatolia, avoided war with Persia and focused on border defense. The two powers occasionally clashed over influence in Armenia and the Caucasus region, but also had to contend with other threats emerging from Central Asia and the north. Even after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire at the end of the 5th century, the Eastern Roman Empire continued the Roman state system. However, the Sasanian Empire remained a formidable military power, so the rivalry between the two empires did not end. During the reigns of Justin I and Justinian I in the early 6th century, relations with Persia became tense again. Control over the regions of Lazica and Armenia became a particularly important issue. From this point on, the wars became longer and more complex, significantly impacting the Eastern Roman Empire's strength and diplomatic strategy.