Home Region: Iran (Southwest Asia)

Sasanid Empire I

205 CE 487 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 ir_sassanid_emp_1 / IrSasn1

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

41 CE 226 CE Parthian Empire II (iq_parthian_emp_2) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

The Sassanids came from the Parthian province of Persis near the Zagros mountains of western Iran. Ardashir I defeated the last Parthian ruler Ardawan (Artabanus IV) in 224 CE and claimed the title "King of Kings" in imitation of the ancient Archaemenids. The early Sassanid rulers claimed a divine descent until powerful Zoroastrian priests ended this by the 4th century. The long reign of Shapur II (309-379 CE) saw the peak of peace and security within the empire ^[1] that had a total population of perhaps 5 million people.
In the early period royal cities were built and administered by shahrabs who ruled as petty kings. ^[2] Centralization occurred in the later Sassanid period when the empire was split into four parts each ruled by a spahbad who had civil and military powers. ^[2]
The size of Persian court and bureaucracy notability increases between Ardashir I and Shapur I (240-270 CE). ^[3] Institutions of administration continued to evolve from those present in the Parthian era ^[2] a grand vizier now present at the central government in the capital Ctesiphon whose remit encompassed control of the diwans, diplomatic affairs as well as occasional stints as commander of the army. ^[4] By the fifth century the centralized bureaucracy was sophisticated enough that "the death of a king would not bring the empire down." ^[5]
Rise of Zoroastrian Church under Kerdir 274 CE had monumental impact on Persia with the persecution of religious minorities (Christians, Manichaeans, Mandeans, Jews and Buddhists) ^[6] . The Zoroastrian priests had initially tolerated rival religious such as Manichaeism until Shapur I (240-270 CE) but Mani was eventually executed. ^[3] By the time of Bahram II (274-293 CE) the Sasanian kings themselves had lost their own religious freedom as caretakers of the Anahid fire temple to a priest called Kerdir "who became the judge of the whole empire. ... from this point on, the priests acted as judges throughout the empire, and court cases were probably based on Zoroastrian law except when members of other religious minorities had disputes with each other." ^[6]

[1]: (Daryaee 2009, 2-20, 200) Touraj Daryaee. 2009. Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. I.B. Tauris. London.

[2]: (Chegini 1996, 45) N N Chegini. Political History, Economy and Society. in Litvinsky, B. A. ed. and Iskender-Mochiri, I. ed. 1996. History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Volume III. The crossroads of civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750. pp.40-58. unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0010/001046/104612e.pdf

[3]: (Daryaee 2009, 2-20) Touraj Daryaee. 2009. Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. I.B. Tauris. London.

[4]: (Wilcox 1986, 24) P Wilcox. 1986. Rome’s Enemies (3): Parthians and Sassanid Persians. Osprey Publishing.

[5]: (Daryaee 2012, 196) Daryaee, Touraj. The Sasanian Empire (224-651 CE). in Daryaee, Touraj. ed. 2012. The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

[6]: (Daryaee 2012, 191) Touraj Daryaee. The Sasanian Empire (224-651 CE). in Daryaee, Touraj. ed. 2012. The Oxford Handbook of Iranian History. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

3 Capital

6 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

3 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 Population of the Largest Settlement

2 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

1 Occupational Complexity

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

2 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

2 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions

18 Power Transition

Instability Events

43 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1) was in:
(220 CE 231 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana
(231 CE 251 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana / Sogdiana
(251 CE 387 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana / Sogdiana / Kachi Plain
(387 CE 495 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana / Kachi Plain
(495 CE 498 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana

Home NGA: Susiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	38 S	205 CE 487 CE
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Original Name	Sassanid Empire I	205 CE 487 CE
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Capital	Ctesiphon	205 CE 487 CE
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Capital	Dastagird	205 CE 487 CE
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Capital	Ecbatana	205 CE 487 CE
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Alternative Name	Sassanid Dynasty	205 CE 487 CE
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Alternative Name	Sasanian Empire	205 CE 487 CE
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Alternative Name	Sassanid Empire	205 CE 487 CE
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Alternative Name	Sassanian Empire	205 CE 487 CE
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Alternative Name	Sasanid Dynasty	205 CE 487 CE
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Alternative Name	Iranshahr	205 CE 487 CE
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Temporal Bounds Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[309 CE ➜ 379 CE]
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Duration	[205 CE ➜ 487 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	af_kidarite_k nominal allegiance to ir_sassanid_emp_1	388 CE 477 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	205 CE 487 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	af_hephthalite_emp alliance with ir_sassanid_emp_1	408 CE 561 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Persian	205 CE 487 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Sassanid Empire II	205 CE 487 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[3,000,000 to 3,500,000] km²	205 CE 487 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	205 CE 487 CE
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Preceding Entity 41 CE 226 CE	Parthian Empire II (iq_parthian_emp_2) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	205 CE 487 CE
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Language Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	205 CE 487 CE
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Language	Pahlavi	205 CE 487 CE
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Religion Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	205 CE 487 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	100,000 people	220 CE 360 CE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	250,000 people	361 CE 487 CE
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Polity Territory	[2,600,000 to 2,700,000] km²	220 CE 300 CE
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Polity Territory	[3,100,000 to 3,200,000] km²	301 CE 487 CE
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Polity Population	5,000,000 people	205 CE 487 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[5 to 6]	205 CE 487 CE
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Religious Level	[4 to 5]	205 CE 487 CE
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Military Level	[7 to 9]	205 CE 487 CE
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Administrative Level	6	205 CE 487 CE
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Professions Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Occupational Complexity	Uncoded Undecided	205 CE 487 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Law Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Judge	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present Disputed	205 CE 487 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent Disputed	205 CE 487 CE
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Court	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Port	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Canal	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Bridge	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Information / Writing System Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Script	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Sacred Text	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Practical Literature	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Philosophy	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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History	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Fiction	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Calendar	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Information / Money Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Article	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Information / Postal System Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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General Postal Service	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Courier	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Information / Measurement System Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Moat	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Long Wall	195 km	205 CE 487 CE
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Military use of Metals Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Iron	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Copper	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Bronze	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Projectiles Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Sling	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Self Bow	Absent Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Javelin	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Crossbow	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	205 CE 487 CE
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Handheld weapons Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Sword	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Spear	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Dagger	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Animals used in warfare Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Elephant	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Camel	Present Uncertain	205 CE 487 CE
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Camel	Absent Uncertain	205 CE 487 CE
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Armor Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Shield	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Plate Armor	Unknown	205 CE 487 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Helmet	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Chainmail	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Breastplate	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Naval technology Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present Inferred	205 CE 487 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	205 CE 487 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	205 CE 487 CE
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Human Sacrifice Sasanid Empire I (ir_sassanid_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More