What was the second Persian Empire?
The Persian Empire of the Sassanid (Sassanian) dynasty emerged in 226 CE. The Sassanian expanded their power throughout the Middle West (at one point they conquered Yemen), and chose Tisfun (outside Baghdad) as their capital. The Sassanian made numerous wars against the Roman Empire. Probably influenced by its close relations with India, the Persian Empire of the Sassanid was a highly centralized state, based on a rigidly organized caste system of Priests, Soldiers, Scribes, and Commoners. People from lower or middle classes were banned from engaging in learning of the sciences. If a peasant or a blacksmith arranged for his child to learn how to read, he could get punished by death. The clergy was all powerful under the Sassanid. Zoroastrianism was made the official state religion; other religions were persecuted. The incessant wars with the Romans eventually contributed to the decline of the Sassanid Empire. The Persian Empire of the Sassanids was on its way to decay when it was was c
