Two major empires in the area at this time: Persian and Byzantine
- Persian culture and power goes far back into Biblical times, even before Cyrus the Great (islamiclearningmaterials.com/gogandmagog)
- Once conquered by Alexander the Great
- Went through several dynastic changes
- Sassanid Empire was the last non-Muslim Persian dynasty
- Came into power 400 years before Prophet's birth
- By the time Prophet was in Medina, Sassanid Empire was going through political turmoil and very weak
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