Height: 12.8 cm
Width: 11.5 cm
Depth: 2.6 cm

 

 

Bequeathed by Sir A.W. Franks

ME 124091

Room 52: Ancient Iran

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Iran before Islam: The Sasanians

From Narseh to Shapur II

After the death of Bahram II in 293, Narseh took the throne and ruled until 303. Narseh was the youngest son of Shapur I who after the death of Bahram II deposed Bahram III, the young king. Kerdir disappeared from the political scene and Narseh adopted a more tolerant policy towards minority religions. After his death, his son Ohrmazd ruled from 303 to 309. Ohrmazd's son, Shapur II (ruled 309 to 379), is depicted on this silver plate.

Shapur II continued to fight the Romans and eventually forced them to give up their territory along the Tigris, and to abandon Armenia. This brought the Sasanians to the peak of their power. In 363 the Sasanian army clashed with the Roman army south of the city of Samarra in southern Iraq and the Roman emperor Julian was fatally wounded.

Shapur's triumph over Julian, who is known as the Apostate because of his rejection of Christianity, is celebrated on a relief at Taq-i Bustan in western Iran. Here, the body of Julian lies under the feet of Shapur II (ruled 309-379) on the far right and Ardashir II (379-383) in the centre. The exact relationship between these two Sasanian rulers is not known, but they may have been brothers. The yazata Mithra, with his radiate crown, holds a bundle of consecrated sticks (barsom) and stands on the left behind Ardashir. A lotus flower is sown under his feet.