Silver plate showing Shapur
II
Sasanian, 4th century AD
A king goes hunting
It is often possible to identify Sasanian
rulers by their distinctive personal crowns, as the representations
are accompanied by their names on certain sculptures and coins.
This king wears the crown of Shapur II (AD
309-79).
About AD 224 the
Parthians were defeated by Ardashir, a descendant of Sasan who gave
his name to the new Sasanian dynasty. They were to rule Iran for
over 400 years and saw themselves as the successors to the
Achaemenid Persians. One of the most energetic and able Sasanian
rulers was Shapur I (AD 240-72). In his reign the central
government was strengthened, the coinage was reformed and
Zoroastrianism was made the state
religion.
The expansion of
Sasanian power brought them into conflict with Rome in the west. In
AD 260 the emperor Valerian was taken prisoner by Shapur I in a
battle near Edessa. After this the defence of Rome's
eastern frontier was left to the ruler of Palmyra, a caravan city
in Syria that was allied with Rome, and his wife Zenobia.
By the end of the reign of
Shapur I, the Sasanian empire stretched from the River Euphrates to
the River Indus and included modern-day Armenia and Georgia. After
a short period during which much territory was lost. Sasanian
fortunes were restored during the long reign of Shapur
II.
J. Curtis, Ancient Persia-1 (London, The British Museum Press, 2000)
D. Collon, Ancient Near Eastern art (London, The British Museum Press, 1995)