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.- 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