Explanation and analysis of the effect of geographical location on foreign relations and business activities of the Sassanids

When the Sassanids dominated the plateau of Iran and the lands connected to this plateau, the various fields of their rule such as trade and commercial activities were affected by the geographical location of their territory. In addition, in their economic activities, the geopolitical and geoeconomic position of the Iranian plateau was effective. In this land and its sensitive geographical location, the Sassanids either had to adapt their foreign relations and economic activities to the geo-economic characteristics of their land, or their activities in various fields, including commercial income, were affected by the geographical location of Iran. The economic life of the Sassanids depended on the trade routes passing through their land or were connected to their land. Dominance on these roads and having a transit and middle position in commercial activities between East and West relied on the geographical location of their territory. Moreover, the geographical location of the Sasanian land played an important role in advancing the policy of exclusivity of trade between the East and the West for the Sasanian government. The present study, as an interdisciplinary research, with a descriptive-analytical approach and a library method and based on written sources, aims to investigate the effect of geographical location on Sassanid commercial activities.