“You’re Fired”: A Comparison of Roman and Sasanian Military Careers

with Sean Strong

In Late Antiquity, the Roman and Sasanian Empires were actively engaged with one another in both conflict and collaboration. It would be on the battlefield however, that leadership would be put to the test the most, with generals competing for success and their respective ruler’s favour. The late sixth century was a time of conflict and therefore a large amount of attention has been given to examining campaigns, battles, and diplomatic encounters, with little attention given to the practicality of military command. This talk aims to tackle a critical aspect of the lives of military men: how did both empires deal with their respective generals according to their battlefield success or defeat?  Can we find similarities or differences between the methods they implemented, and the significance they play in understanding the military culture of the two empires?

The event is co-sponsored by The Iran Society and BIPS.

About the speaker:

Sean Strong, one of the winners of last year’s Iran Society study grants, is undertaking doctoral research at Cardiff University on the wars between the Sasanians and the Romans, where he has encountered some striking differences in the way each side commanded its armies, reflecting perhaps some national characteristics.

Image: A section of the Taq-e Bostan rock relief portraying Khosrow II in full cataphract armour.