Narseh in the context of Sakastan (Sasanian Province)

Galerius Valerius Maximianus (/ɡəˈlɛəriəs/; Greek: Γαλέριος; c. 258 – May 311) was Roman emperor from 305 to 311. He participated in the system of government later known as the Tetrarchy, first acting as caesar under Emperor Diocletian. In this period Galerius obtained victory warring against the Persian Sassanian Empire, defeating Narseh at the battle of Satala in 298 and possibly sacking the Sassanian capital of Ctesiphon in 299. He also campaigned across the Danube against the Carpi, defeating them in 297 and 300. Galerius was promoted to augustus upon the abdication of Diocletian in 305, but had to contend with multiple usurpers as the Tetrarchic system broke down. Although he was a staunch opponent of Christianity, he ended the Diocletianic Persecution by issuing the Edict of Serdica in 311.

Hormizd II (also spelled Hormozd or Ohrmazd; Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣) was king (shah) of the Sasanian Empire. He ruled for six years and five months, from 303 to 309. He was a son and successor of Narseh (r. 293–303).

During his reign, the Kingdom of Armenia under Tiridates III adopted Christianity as its official religion, thus leaving its ancient Zoroastrian heritage that it shared with Sasanian Iran. Hormizd II's reign was also marked by internal turmoil, which he successfully managed to deal with. Hormizd II was also successful in his efforts in the west, defeating and killing the Ghassanid king in Syria. His reign was, however, cut short by the intrigues of the Iranian nobility, who killed him in a secluded place.

Kartir (also spelled Karder, Karter and Kerdir; Middle Persian: 𐭪𐭫𐭲𐭩𐭫 Kardīr) was a powerful and influential Zoroastrian priest during the reigns of four Sasanian kings in the 3rd century. His name is cited in the inscriptions of Shapur I (as well as in the Res Gestae Divi Saporis) and the Paikuli inscription of Narseh. Kartir also had inscriptions of his own made in the present-day Fars province (then known as Pars). His inscriptions narrates his rise to power throughout the reigns of Shapur I (r. 240–270), Hormizd I (r. 270–271), Bahram I (r. 271–274), and Bahram II (r. 274–293). During the brief reign of Bahram II's son and successor Bahram III, Kartir was amongst the nobles who supported the rebellion of Narseh, who overthrew Bahram III and ascended the throne. During Narseh's reign, Kartir faded into obscurity.

Bahram III (also spelled Wahram III or Warahran III; Middle Persian: 𐭥𐭫𐭧𐭫𐭠𐭭, New Persian: بهرام سوم), was the sixth king of kings (shah) of the Sasanian Empire. He was son and successor of Bahram II. Prior to becoming king he was the viceroy of Sakastan, which had been re-conquered by his father sometime in the 280s.

Bahram III ascended to the throne after his father's death in 293. Many nobles considered him too weak to rule, instead pledging allegiance to his grand-uncle Narseh. After reigning for a period of only four months, Bahram III was either captured or more likely killed during a campaign by Narseh, who took his place as king.

The Paikuli inscription (Kurdish: پەیکوڵی, romanized: Peykulî, Persian: پایکولی, in Arabic: بيكولي) is a bilingual text corpus in Parthian and Middle Persian, inscribed on the stone blocks of the Paikuli Tower's walls. The tower is located in the southern part of Iraqi Kurdistan, near the modern-day village of Barkal in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq. These inscribed stone blocks are now housed in the Sulaymaniyah Museum, with the field only containing the stones used in the tower’s construction. The inscription was erected as a monument to victory and explains how and why the Sasanian emperor Narseh overthrew his grandnephew from power.

In 293 Narses marched from Armenia in open revolt against his nephew with a host of supporters and allies, whose names are recorded on the Paikuli inscription.