The fall of the imperial regime of the Sasanides is usually regarded as one of the significant events of the Islamic era, for which different historians have
f,uggested different reasons. Apparently, one of the main factors contributing to the downfall of this dynasty has been the deterioration of one of its major
economic assets, ie. the rural irrigation system. This factor, so far has not
been studied in detail and hence if has not received its due attention.
The aim of the present paper is to study the role of the rural irrigation
Maqfi/at wa Barra.'ihfi/ 21
system in the success and downfal of the Sasanides.
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