Editing History of Afghanistan (section)

=== Sasanian Empire ===
{{Main|Sasanian Empire}}
[[File:Sasanian Empire 621 A.D.jpg|thumb|260px|The [[Sasanian Empire]] at its greatest extent c. 620 CE, under the king [[Khosrow II]].]]
The [[Sasanians]] ended the rule of the [[Kushan Empire|Kushans Empire]]. Officially known as the Empire of Iranians, the Sasanian Empire was the last Persian Empire before the rise of [[Islam]]. Named after the House of [[Sasan]], it ruled from about 224 to 651 CE. In the east around 325 CE, [[Shapur II]] regained the upper hand against the [[Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom]] and took control of large territories in areas now known as Afghanistan and Pakistan. Much of modern-day [[Afghanistan]] became part of the Sasanian Empire, since [[Shapur I]] extended his authority eastwards into Afghanistan and the previously autonomous [[Kushans]] were obliged to accept his [[suzerainty]].

From around 370 CE, however, towards the end of the reign of [[Shapur II]], the Sasanians lost the control of [[Bactria]] and Afghanistan to invaders from the north. These were the [[Kidarites]], the [[Hephthalites]], the [[Alchon Huns]], and the [[Nezak Huns]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Neelis |first1=Jason |title=Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks: Mobility and Exchange Within and Beyond the Northwestern Borderlands of South Asia |date=2010 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-9004181595 |page=159 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GB-JV2eOr2UC&pg=PA159 |language=en}}</ref> These invaders initially issued coins based on [[Sasanian]] designs.<ref name="Tandon2013">{{cite journal |title=Notes on the Evolution of Alchon Coins |journal=Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society |year=2013 |last=Tandon |first=Pankaj |issue=216 |pages=24–34 |url=http://coinindia.com/Alchon.pdf |access-date=8 July 2018 }}</ref>