The Battle of Edessa took place between the armies of the Roman Empire under the command of Emperor Valerian and the Sasanian Empire under Shahanshah (King of the Kings) Shapur I, Shapur I, on the site of the modern Turkish city of Urfa in 260. The Roman army was defeated and captured in its entirety by the Sasanian forces; for the first time, a Roman emperor was taken prisoner. This 3rd-century Sasanian rock-face relief, located at the ancient necropolis of Naqsh-e Rostam in modern-day Iran, depicts Shapur's triumph over Valerian in the battle.Sculpture credit: Sasanian Empire; photographed by Diego Delso