Overview of all Sassanid Rulers

This page presents a complete chronological overview of every shah who governed the Sassanid Empire, from Ardashir I to Yazdegerd III. Encompassing more than four centuries of Persian imperial history, it lists each ruler together with their reign period and a brief note on their contributions to the state’s political, military, and religious development.

Title	Date	Excerpt
Ardashir I and the Foundation of the Sasanian Empire: Insights from Historical and Archaeological Perspectives	224 – May 240	Ardashir I established the Sasanian Empire, transforming Iranian political and religious structures in the early third century AD. His reign introduced centralized administration, revived Zoroastrian royal ideology, and initiated urban and artistic developments that influenced Iran for centuries.
Shapur I: Architect of the Sasanian Empire’s Power and Legacy	May 240 – May 270	Shapur I, the second monarch of the Sasanian dynasty, expanded Iranian influence through military campaigns, urban development, and religious patronage, leaving a lasting impact on the empire's structure and culture.
Hormizd I: Brief Reign of a Sasanian Shahanshah and His Role in Imperial Consolidation	May 270 – June 271	Hormizd I ruled the Sasanian Empire briefly in 270–271 CE, overseeing urban development, religious patronage, and the affirmation of imperial titulature that reflected the empire’s diverse population. His reign marked a transitional period that influenced royal authority and religious politics in third-century Iran.
Bahram I and the Sasanian Empire: Shaping Religious Authority in Late Antique Iran	June 271 – 274	Bahram I ruled the Sasanian Empire from 271 to 274, marking a pivotal shift in the empire's religious landscape by strengthening Zoroastrian priesthood influence and altering imperial policies toward religious minorities, which impacted the state's governance and identity.
Bahram II and the Sasanian Empire: Historical Insights from the Ancient Persia Site	274–293	Bahram II ruled the Sasanian Empire in the late third century, navigating internal challenges and external threats while fostering cultural and religious developments that influenced the empire's future.
Bahram III: A Brief Sasanian Monarch in Late Third Century Iran	293	Bahram III ruled the Sasanian Empire briefly in 293 CE during a turbulent period marked by internal rivalries and external threats. His short reign highlights the complex dynamics of royal succession and noble influence in late antique Iran.
Narseh: The Sasanian King of Iran and His Historical Impact	293–302	Narseh ruled Iran from 293 to 303 CE, navigating internal aristocratic tensions and complex relations with Rome. His reign is documented through inscriptions, coinage, and reliefs that reveal his strategies for legitimacy, religious moderation, and frontier defense during a pivotal era in Sasanian history.
Hormizd II: Sasanian King and His Role in Late Antique Iran	303–309/310	Hormizd II ruled the Sasanian Empire from 303 to 309 CE, navigating internal conflicts, religious shifts, and frontier campaigns that influenced the empire's political and religious landscape during a pivotal era.
Adur Narseh: A Brief and Contested Sasanian Ruler in Late Antique Iran	309/310	Adur Narseh is known from limited classical sources as a short-lived Sasanian ruler around 309 CE, whose brief tenure reflects the fragile nature of royal authority amid aristocratic and clerical power struggles in early fourth-century Iran.
Shapur II: The Longest-Reigning Sasanian Emperor and His Impact on Late Antique Iran	310–379	Shapur II ruled the Sasanian Empire for seventy years, restoring central authority, reforming the military and administration, and expanding influence from the Persian Gulf to the Indian subcontinent. His reign shaped the political, religious, and cultural landscape of late antique Iran.
Ardashir II: Transitional Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire	379–383	Ardashir II ruled the Sasanian Empire from 379 to 383, overseeing a critical transitional period marked by efforts to maintain central authority amid noble resistance and contested borderlands like Armenia. His reign is known through coinage, a notable rock relief, and a brief but revealing conflict in Armenia that highlights the balance of power within the empire.
Shapur III: Diplomatic and Cultural Leadership of the Sasanian Empire	383–388	Shapur III ruled the Sasanian Empire from 383 to 388, overseeing diplomatic agreements, cultural patronage, and administrative reforms that influenced the empire's finances and frontier policies, notably through the partition of Armenia and artistic works like the Taq-e Bostan relief.
Bahram IV: Sasanian Shahanshah and His Role in Late Antiquity	388–399	Bahram IV ruled the Sasanian Empire from 388 to 399 CE, overseeing administrative reforms and numismatic innovations that shaped governance and royal symbolism during a period marked by noble resistance and frontier challenges.
Yazdegerd I: Sasanian Shahanshah of Iran and His Historical Impact	399–420	Yazdegerd I ruled the Sasanian Empire from 399 to 420, known for his diplomatic approach toward Rome, religious tolerance, and efforts to curb noble and clerical power, shaping the political and social landscape of late Sasanian Iran.
Shapur IV: Sasanian Prince and King of Armenia	420	Shapur IV ruled Sasanian Armenia circa 415–420 and briefly claimed the imperial throne, illustrating the complex dynamics of royal authority, noble power, and religious divisions in early fifth-century Sasanian Iran.
Khosrow I: Architect of the Sasanian Empire’s Renewal and Legacy	420	Khosrow I ruled the Sasanian Empire from 531 to 579, implementing military, administrative, and cultural reforms that reshaped the empire's governance, defense, and intellectual life, leaving a lasting impact on Iranian and regional history.
Bahram V: The Sasanian Shahanshah and His Historical Impact	420–438	Bahram V ruled the Sasanian Empire in the early fifth century, restoring imperial control in Central Asia, redefining Armenian governance, and shaping a cultural legacy that influenced Persian literature and statecraft.
Yazdegerd II: Sasanian Monarch and Architect of Imperial Authority	438–457	Yazdegerd II ruled the Sasanian Empire from 438 to 457 CE, focusing on strengthening royal power, defending borders, and enforcing religious policies that led to major revolts, notably in Armenia. His reign influenced the empire's military, administrative, and ideological development during a turbulent period.
Hormizd III: A Brief Sasanian Monarch and His Impact on Imperial Succession	457	Hormizd III ruled the Sasanian Empire briefly in the mid-fifth century, during a period marked by dynastic conflict and shifting power dynamics among noble families and eastern nomadic groups. His reign ended the semi-autonomous rule of Sasanian princes in Sakastan and set the stage for increased Hephthalite influence in Iran.
Peroz I and the Sasanian Empire: Historical Insights from the Iran Heritage Site	457–484	Peroz I's reign as shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire from 459 to 484 was marked by military campaigns, administrative reforms, and cultural developments that influenced Iran's political and religious landscape during a turbulent period.
Balash: The Sasanian King and His Role in Late Fifth-Century Iran	484–488	Balash ruled Iran from 484 to 488 during a turbulent period marked by military defeat and political challenges. His reign illustrates the shifting power between the monarchy and aristocratic families, and his diplomatic efforts notably secured religious freedoms for Armenian Christians.
Kavad I and the Sasanian Empire: Historical Insights from the Ancient Iran Studies	488–497 (1st reign); 499–531 (2nd reign)	Kavad I ruled the Sasanian Empire from 488 to 531, implementing reforms that strengthened the monarchy, restructured military command, and enhanced administrative efficiency, setting the stage for his son Khosrow I's successful reign.
Jamasp: The Late 5th-Century Sasanian Shahanshah and His Political Role	497–499	Jamasp briefly ruled as Sasanian shahanshah during a turbulent period marked by elite power struggles and external threats. His reign reveals the influence of nobility and clergy in royal succession and the challenges faced by rulers lacking broad support. Though his time as emperor was short, his legacy persisted through regional leadership and dynastic ties in northern Iran.
Hormizd IV: Sasanian Shahanshah and His Impact on Imperial Governance	579–590	Hormizd IV ruled the Sasanian Empire from 579 to 590, navigating internal reforms, military campaigns, and court intrigues that shaped the empire's political and social structure during a turbulent period.
Bahram Chobin: Military Leader and Usurper of the Sasanian Throne	590–591	Bahram Chobin was a prominent Parthian noble and military commander who briefly seized the Sasanian throne in 590–591, challenging the established dynasty and influencing Persian history and literature.
Khosrow II: The Last Great Sasanian Emperor and His Legacy	June 590 – 28 February 628	Khosrow II ruled the Sasanian Empire from 590 to 628, overseeing a period of military expansion, cultural patronage, and political turmoil that ultimately weakened the empire before the Arab conquests.
Vistahm and the Ispahbudhan: Power and Revolt in the Late Sasanian Empire	591–597	Vistahm, a Parthian noble of the Ispahbudhan family, played a crucial role in restoring Khosrow II to the Sasanian throne and later ruled independently over eastern provinces, influencing regional politics and coinage during a turbulent era.
Kavad II: The Brief Sasanian King Who Ended the Byzantine War	28 February 628 – 628	Kavad II ruled the Sasanian Empire briefly in 628 CE, ending a prolonged war with Byzantium and initiating political changes that shaped the empire's final years.
Ardashir III: The Last Child Monarch of the Sasanian Empire	628–630	Ardashir III's brief reign during a period of crisis reveals the rapid political fragmentation and noble factionalism that hastened the decline of the Sasanian Empire in the early 7th century.
Shahrbaraz: Military Leader and King of the Late Sasanian Empire	630	Shahrbaraz was a prominent Sasanian general who extended Persian control into Syria and Egypt during the early 7th century and briefly seized the throne in 630, influencing the empire's final years through military campaigns and political actions.
Khosrow III: A Brief Sasanian Claimant During Imperial Fragmentation	630	Khosrow III briefly claimed the Sasanian throne in 630 amid political chaos, illustrating the empire's fragmentation and the challenges of asserting authority during its final decline.
Boran: The Sasanian Queen Who Ruled Ancient Iran	630	Boran was a rare female sovereign in ancient Iran who ruled during a turbulent period of the Sasanian empire, striving to restore central authority through legal reforms, coinage, and diplomacy amid political fragmentation and noble rivalries.
Shapur-i Shahrvaraz: A Brief Sasanian Monarch in the Empire’s Final Decades	630	Shapur-i Shahrvaraz ruled briefly during a turbulent period of the Sasanian Empire marked by political crisis and factional rivalry. His short reign reflects the complex interplay of dynastic ties and noble politics that contributed to the empire's fragmentation in the early 7th century.
Azarmidokht: The Last Sasanian Queen of Iran	630–631	Azarmidokht ruled Iran briefly during the final crisis of the Sasanian Empire, illustrating the decline of royal power amid noble rivalries and dynastic turmoil in the early 7th century.
Hormizd VI: A Brief Sasanian Ruler During Late Antiquity	630–632	Hormizd VI was a short-lived Sasanian prince whose regional rule during the empire's final years illustrates the fragmentation of royal authority and the challenges faced by the dynasty before the Arab conquests.
Farrukh Hormizd: Influential Noble and Military Leader in Late Sasanian Iran	631–632	Farrukh Hormizd was a prominent Iranian noble and military commander whose leadership and political actions played a crucial role during the final decades of the Sasanian Empire, influencing the empire's governance amid internal strife and external threats.
Khosrow IV and the Sasanian Fragmentation: Insights from Late Antique Iran	632	Khosrow IV was a regional ruler around Susa during the early 7th century whose brief reign illustrates the breakdown of central Sasanian authority and the persistence of local governance amid political turmoil.
Peroz II: The Last Phase of Sasanian Rule Explored on Historical and Archaeological Insights	632–632/633	Peroz II briefly ruled the Sasanian Empire during a period of intense political fragmentation and decline around 630–631 CE. His short reign highlights the collapse of central authority and the rise of factional power struggles that preceded the empire's fall.
Farrukhzad Khosrow V: The Brief Sasanian Emperor and His Role in the Empire’s Final Years	632/633–c. 633	Farrukhzad Khosrow V briefly ruled the Sasanian Empire during a period of intense political fragmentation, illustrating the collapse of centralized authority in its final decades. His short reign and removal highlight the instability and factional struggles that marked the dynasty's end.
Yazdegerd III: The Last Sasanian Emperor and His Historical Role	c. 633–651	Yazdegerd III was the final ruler of the Sasanian Empire, whose reign marked the end of centuries of Iranian imperial rule and the transition to Muslim governance in the region.