Rome And Persia In Late Antiquity: Neighbours A... May 2026

The relationship between the Roman and Sasanian Persian empires in Late Antiquity (3rd–7th centuries AD) was a defining geopolitical rivalry defined by mutual recognition as superpowers, often described as the "Two Eyes of the Earth." While engaging in a ritualized cycle of conflict over Mesopotamia and economic, religious, and cultural exchange thrived, with the final, catastrophic war (602–628 AD) leaving both empires vulnerable to the subsequent Arab-Muslim conquests.