Sasanian Empire’s Hegemony in the Mediterranean w. Dr. Michael Decker

The Sasanian Empire was a Persian Empire that existed in the third to seventh centuries, and for a period of time, held hegemony in various parts of the eastern Mediterranean Basin. Dr. Michael Decker, Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University, joins the show again to share what’s known about the Sasanian Empire’s hegemony in the Mediterranean Basin.

Dr. Decker has also appeared previously on the show in the episode Founding of Constantinople w. Dr. Michael Decker (May 23, 2021).

Some topics explored

  • Who the Sasanians were
  • What scholars lean on for information on the Sasanians
  • The demarcation of their land
  • How they came into power
  • Why very little of their writings exist, comparatively
  • Their hegemony in the Mediterranean Basin
  • Sasanian Empire as a Persian Empire
  • The terms Sasanian and Sassanid
  • The etymology of the word Sasanian
  • Their language
  • How they governed
  • Their indigenous religion and how they responded to religions of populations in their territories
  • Why their hegemony ended
  • Relations between Rome/Byzantine Empire and Sasanians including conflicts and times of peace

Listen to the episode

The episode is available on major podcast apps: Apple PodcastsSpotify, and Amazon Music.

Show Notes

  • Professor Decker is author of the monograph The Byzantine Art of War (Westholme Publishing, 2012) and author of the forthcoming book The Sasanian Empire at War: Persia, Rome, and the Rise of Islam, 224-651 (Westholme Publishing, 2021)

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