The Avestan name "Airiianəm vaēǰō" "Aryan expanse", is a reference in the Zoroastrian Avesta (Vendidad, Fargard 1) to the Aryans’ mother country and one of Ahura Mazda's "sixteen perfect lands". Other Avestan names are "airyō.šayana", the “Aryan people”, and "airyā daiŋˊhāvā" “the Aryan lands”. These names were known to old Greek writers as "Ariana". Also the Sanskrit name "Āryāvarta" "abode of the Aryans", was a region in north of today's India. The Middle Persian name of the Sassanian Empire, an empire that ruled Persia from the 3rd century to the 7th century, was "Eran-shar" meaning the "Aryan Empire". Today, the name "Iran" is simply the Persian word for "Aryan".