Iran Local Histories
Kaykhosrow Khosravi Nejad; Soheila Torabi Farsani; Esmaeil Sangari
Abstract
The constant selection of Tisphoon in Āsōristān state as capital by the Sasanid emperors showed the importance of this region in their governance system. The construction of new cities and the development of urban infrastructures, such as water structures, and promotion of agriculture by the Sasanids ...
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The constant selection of Tisphoon in Āsōristān state as capital by the Sasanid emperors showed the importance of this region in their governance system. The construction of new cities and the development of urban infrastructures, such as water structures, and promotion of agriculture by the Sasanids show that they paid special attention to the political-economic role of Āsōristān cities. Hence, it is important to investigate the political-economic situation of this region, particularly in the last half century of the Sasanid dynasty, which finally led to the fall of this dynasty. This research using library sources and descriptive analytical method, seeks to find an answer to this question: what effect did the political -economic situation of the Āsōristān state with Madā’en as capital have on the fall and conquest of it by Muslim Arabs? The findings show that different wars, the diseases such as plague, and floods destroyed vital parts of the Sassanid irrigation system and consequently decreased government revenues. Economic decline led to the downfall of imperial military force, too. On the other hand, the change in the demographic composition of the state due to the migration of ethnic groups or change of people’s religion had negative effects on the Iranians’ resistance. Many residents of the cities, especially the peasants, were forced to compromise and cooperate with the Arabs in order to improve their livelihoods or maintain their privileges..
