Sasanian Investment from Birthplace to Empire: A Comparative Archaeological Data Analysis of the Pars with Other Regions

The Sasanian Empire (224 to 651 CE) was one of the largest and longest-lived polities of the Late Antique world, holding significant influence across West and Central Asia. SIBE (Sasanian Investment from Birthplace to Empire: A Comparative Archaeological Data Analysis of Pars with Other Regions) will examine the social, political and economic organisation of the Sasanian Empire through its transformation of the landscape. It will compare investment in their birthplace, the Pars region (Iran), with several other regions across the empire. The study focuses on unpublished data of the Pars region, gathered through recent landscape archaeological surveys, and published and unpublished data from five other regions representing core and frontier territories (Gorgan Plain, Southern Mesopotamia, Khuzestan, Iranian Azerbaijan, and Marv). It examines the relationship between imperial power and regional projects, strategies for exploiting the semi-arid landscape, and insights into the empire's overall functionality. The project will enhance the candidate’s skills, professional network and outreach abilities through a comprehensive training program in big data integration and analysis, GIS, spatial analysis, and the creation of research opportunities and collaboration with established experts in Landscape archaeology and Sasanian studies. By drawing together rich datasets at unprecedented spatial scales across diverse regions, employing new methodologies and comparative perspectives, this project will create a step change in our understanding of the structure of the empire. The results of SIBE will improve our understanding of Sasanian settlement patterns, population growth, land use system, regional infrastructures, agriculture and defence systems, and will shed light on the Empire's formation, development and resilience against diverse social and environmental challenges.