One must not think and speak of Persian/Iranian civilization as something restricted to the political boundaries of the Iranian nation state.

Culturally and historically, Iran-- or as the Sassanian Persians referred to it 'Eran Shahr'(the Aryan Realm)

is more a culture than it is a geographically restricted political entity. Like those other major civilizations of the ancient and classical world, Greece and Rome; Iranian/Persian influence stretches across large parts of the globe—both geographically and temporally. Aryanem Vaeja has encompassed and touched vast geographic regions. And it has both left its’ signature and, in turn, been influenced by the disparate cultures and regions with which it’s come into contact.