Khodadad Rezakhani ๐๏ธ๐ for a wide-ranging conversation on one of the most consequential turning points in Late Antique history: the fall of the Sasanian Empire and the emergence of Islam as an imperial power.
๐ In this episode, we explore:
๐๏ธ How framing the RomanโPersian War within Late Antiquity has reshaped the field and where it may have created blind spots
๐ Why the absence of insider Sasanian sources has limited the development of Sasanian Studies
๐ฅ Whether the Sasanian Empire was truly a Zoroastrian religious autocracy
๐ How the Prophet Muhammad and his community understood and related to Sasanian power
โ๏ธ What really explains the speed and success of the Arab/Islamic conquests
๐ง How modern Iranian political and nationalist discourse shapes contemporary scholarship
๐ฃ๏ธ Why the history of the Persian language is better understood as adoption and transformation rather than resistance
๐ฎ What the future of Sasanian Studies might look like
๐ This episode challenges narratives of sudden collapse, religious determinism, and effortless conquest. Offering instead a nuanced picture of empire, continuity, and transformation at the end of Antiquity.
Donโt forget to like, share, and subscribe โค๏ธ and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! ๐
๐ง Real Talk Podcast
Hosted by Terron Poole & Roxanna Irani
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