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List of figures | |
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List of maps | |
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Preface | |
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Abbreviations | |
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Introduction: West and East, friend and foe, counterpart and mirror image... | |
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Narrative | |
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Rome and Iran to the beginning of the third century AD | |
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Rome and the Sasanian Empire: A chronological survey | |
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The third century: The origins of Sasanian interests in the West | |
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The fourth century: The conflict escalates under Sapur II (309-379) | |
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The fifth century: Detente at the Roman Eastern frontier | |
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The sixth century: The Sasanians renew their expansionist policy in the West | |
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The seventh century: Might and decline of Sasanian power | |
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Sources and Contexts | |
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Political goals | |
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Territorial claims of the Sasanians against Rome | |
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Succession to Achaemenid rule as programmatic foreign policy | |
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Warfare | |
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Sasanian armament and tactics | |
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Military confrontations | |
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The third century: Origins of Sasanian interests in the West | |
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Earliest Roman-Sasanian confrontations (230-233) | |
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Sapur I (240-272) at war with Rome | |
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Galerius defeats Narse in the year 298 | |
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The fourth century: The conflict escalates under Sapur II (309-379) | |
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Fighting during the reign of Constantius II (337-361) | |
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Julian's Persian War (363) | |
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The fifth century: Detente at the Roman Eastern frontier | |
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Arcadius (383-408) and Yazdgard I (399-420) | |
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Persian confrontations with the Hephthalites | |
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The Sasanian monarchy loses and regains power | |
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The sixth century: The Sasanians renew their expansionist policy in the West | |
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The first Sasanian-Byzantine War (502-532) | |
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The second Sasanian-Byzantine War (540-562) | |
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The third Sasanian-Byzantine War (572-591) and the Persian expansion into South Arabia | |
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The seventh century: Might and decline of Sasanian power | |
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The advance of Xusro II Parvez (602-628) | |
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The diplomatic solutions | |
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The peace treaty of 244 between Philip the Arab and Sapur I | |
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The peace treaty of 298 between Diocletian and Narse | |
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The peace treaty of 363 between Jovian and Sapur II | |
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The peace treaty of 422 between Theodosius II and Bahram V Gor | |
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The peace treaty of 562 between Justinian and Xusro I Anosarvan | |
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The peace treaty of 628 between Heraclius and Kavadh II Seroe | |
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Arabia between the great powers | |
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Hatra | |
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Palmyra | |
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The Arab prince Imru'ulqais between Romans and Sasanians | |
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'Proxy policy': Lahmids and Gassanids | |
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Shared interests: Continuing conflicts | |
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Armenia | |
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Protection of the frontier | |
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Economy and trade | |
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Religion: Christianity and Zoroastrianism | |
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Religion and kingship in the Sasanian Empire | |
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The Sasanian kings as patrons of Zoroastrianism | |
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From Diocletian to Constantine: Religious change in the West and the consequences for Roman-Sasanian relations | |
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The situation of the Persian Christians during the reign of Yazdgard I (399-420) | |
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Religion and politics during the sixth and seventh centuries | |
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Emperor and King of kings | |
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Concepts of 'legitimate rule' and the 'family of kings' | |
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Exchange of information between West and East | |
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Diplomacy and espionage | |
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Deportations: Enforced resettlements of prisoners | |
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Mutual cultural interest | |
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Lists of Sasanian kings and Roman emperors | |
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Chronological table | |
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Glossary | |
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Bibliography | |
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Index of sources | |
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Index of translated sources | |
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Index of names | |
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Index of place names | |
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General index | |