Middle Iranian refers to a group of languages spoken in Iran and surrounding regions from around the 3rd century BCE to the 9th century CE. This period followed Old Iranian and preceded New Iranian languages. Middle Iranian includes several dialects, such as Middle Persian, Parthian, and Sogdian, which were used in various cultural and administrative contexts. These languages were influenced by the Achaemenid Empire and later by the Sassanian Empire. Middle Iranian texts, often written in scripts like Pahlavi and Brahmi, provide valuable insights into the history, culture, and religion of ancient Iran, including Zoroastrianism.