2-667-994 - © CM Dixon/Heritage Images

Sassanian Silver Dish (detail), people with weapons, circa late 4th century. The Sasanian Empire known to its inhabitants as Eranshahr, was the last period of the Persian Empire (Iran) before the rise of Islam, named after the House of Sasan who ruled from 224 to 651 AD. Attributed to the second half of the 4th century AD from details of dress, weapons and possibly the figures. British Museum.