Under the
Parthians, Khuzistan was known as
Elymais, a Parthian sub-kingdom, which in 221 was defeated and conquered by the Persian prince
Ardashir I, who would later overthrow the Parthians and establish the Sasanian Empire. Khuzistan is attested as a province in the
Ka'ba-ye Zartosht inscription of the second Sasanian
King of Kings (
shahanshah)
Shapur I (). There it is mentioned right after
Pars and
Parthia, the country of the Sasanians and Parthians respectively, which demonstrates its importance. The prominent Zoroastrian priest
Kartir likewise mentions the province in his
inscription at Naqsh-e Rajab. In , Shapur I founded the city of
Gundeshapur (Middle Persian:
Weh-Andiōk-Šābuhr), which was established in a village called Pilabad, situated between
Susa and
Shushtar. The city, constructed as a place to settle Roman prisoners of war, subsequently became a Sasanian royal summer residence and the capital of Khuzistan. Shapur I's son and successor,
Hormizd I () founded two cities in Khuzistan;
Hormizd-Ardashir and
Ram-Hormizd. During the reign of
Bahram II (), a high-priest (
mowbed) revolted in Khuzistan and briefly occupied the province. Under
Kavad I () and his son and successor
Khosrow I () the empire was divided into four frontier regions (
kust in
Middle Persian), with a military commander (
spahbed) in charge of each district. The frontier regions were known as
xwarāsān (East),
xwarārān (West),
nēmrōz (South) and
abāxtar (North). Khuzistan was along with Pars included in the southern quarter.
Kirman and
Sakastan were also sometimes included. Khuzistan was one of the first provinces to fall during the
Muslim conquest of Iran; by 642 it was longer under Sasanian control. == Population ==