Hormizdegan

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Battle of Hormizdgan

Date	March or April, 224
Location	Near Shushtar, Khuzestan, Iran
Result	Decisive Sassanid victory

Combatants

Commanders

Strength

Casualties

The Battle of Hormizdgan was the climactic battle of the end of the Parthian Empire between the Parthian Empire and the Sassanid Empire, in 224 AD. The Sassanid victory broke the power of the Arscacid dynasty, effectively ending over four centuries of Parthian rule in the Middle East, Iran, Caucasus, and Central Asia. This battle is generally considered the starting date for the Sassanid Empire.

Battle of Hormizdgan was the culmination of rivalry between Ardashir son of Papag, Parthian vassal king of Persis and his overlord, Shahanshah Artabanus IV of Parthia. Ardashir ascended the throne of Persis in 208 AD after deposing his elder brother, Shapur. He immediately started expanding his domains and quickly conquered neighboring provinces of Kerman, Isfahan, Susiana (modern Khuzestan), and Mesene (modern Kuwait). This expansion brought the attention of the Arscacid Great King Artabanus IV (216–224 AD).

After a period of negotiation and manouvering, war became inevitable. Ardashir moved his army into Khuzestan in the spring of 224 AD and took a favorable position in the field of Hormizdgan, near the modern Iranian city of Shushtar. His position allowed him to control the water supplies on the field. Artabanus moved with his army from the Arsacid capital of Ctesiphon in Mesopotamia, and had to take a less favorable position with limited access to water. What we know about the battle is based on biased Sassanian sources ^[1].

The manpower of the two armies as well as the number of casualties are unknown. We can speculate that both commanders fielded large numbers of cavalry. We may also speculate that both armies deployed horse archers in large numbers. It is also highly probable that both commanders relied on the shock effect of their core force of cataphracts to break the enemy line. What we know is that some Parthian forces defected to the Persian side, and Artabanus was killed in the battle. Sassanid sources picture Ardashir as the victor of a hand-to-hand combat with Artabanus. Given the mode of Iranian warfare, with its emphasis on protecting the commanders at any price, this claims may not be verified.

Ardashir's son, prince Shapur (later Shapur I of Persia) was present on the field and based on rock relief evidence, led the Persian heavy cavalry.