Persia Peroz's Military Engagements Against Hephthalites: A Focus on His Captivity in the First War

Around 483-485 AD, the Hephthalites, possibly of Iranian descent, established a powerful empire that succeeded in making Iran a tributary state. This period marked significant military confrontations between the Hephthalites and the Sassanid Empire, led by Shah Peroz I. Peroz I engaged in three notable wars against the Hephthalites. In the first war, he was captured by the Hephthalite forces, but was later released after the Byzantine emperor intervened and paid a ransom. The second conflict saw Peroz captured once more, and he was released only after agreeing to pay a substantial tribute to the Hephthalite king. The third war, however, ended tragically for Peroz, as he was killed in battle. Despite the initial dominance of the Hephthalites, they were eventually subjugated in 565 AD through a combined effort of Sassanid and Göktürk forces, marking a significant shift in power dynamics in the region.