Shapur I (241-272 AD)

Portrayed as the King of Hearts

The Sassanid Dynasty successfully reigned Persia for more than 400 years.  While much of the world lay in the Dark Ages, the dynasty flourished.

Shapur I, the second King of the Sassanid Dynasty, is known reclaiming Persian lands from the Roman Empire.  The great warrior conquered Armenia, Syria, and Turkey.  Shapur I gained his fame at the Battle of Edessa (260 AD).  Although outnumbered 2-1, Shapur I defeated and captured the Roman Emperor Valerian and his entire army.

Shapur I founded the city of Bishapur which is famous for its rock reliefs and for its Irano-Roman mosaics.