The Middle East has remained divided^[1]http://www.timemaps.com/history/middle-east-200ad between two superpowers. The Roman empire (now ruled from Constantinople and known to modern scholars as the eastern Roman Empire) rules the western parts of the region, Asia Minor,^[2]http://www.timemaps.com/history/turkey-500ad Syria^[3]http://www.timemaps.com/history/syria-500ad and Egypt,^[4]http://www.timemaps.com/history/ancient-egypt-500ad while in the eastern parts of the region – Iran^[5]http://www.timemaps.com/history/iran-500ad and Mesopotamia^[6]http://www.timemaps.com/history/iraq-500ad – the Parthian empire has been replaced by a new Persian empire. The Persian rulers of the Sasanian dynasty^[7]http://www.timemaps.com/history-middle-east#sas have proved more aggressive and formidable opponents of the Romans than their Parthian predecessors had.