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Khusrow II
Belt plaques
Iran before Islam: The Sasanians
War with Byzantium
Khusrow II came to the throne in AD 590 and immediately faced an internal revolt. Despite ongoing conflict between the Sasanians and Byzantium, he sought refuge with the Byzantine emperor Maurice (582-602), who helped him to regain his throne. Khusrow's reign was a time of unprecedented wealth and splendour for the Sasanians.
After Maurice's death, his successor Emperor Phocas (602-10) revived the conflict between Byzantium and the Sasanians. Khusrow's armieBritish Museum online tour: Iran before Islams gained territory in the west and advanced as far as Jerusalem. From here the Holy Cross was taken as booty to the Sasanian capital Ctesiphon (in modern Iraq). Heraclius (610-641), Phocas's successor as Byzantine emperor, began a huge offensive and in 627 defeated the Sasanians near Ctesiphon. Shortly afterwards Khusrow was murdered by his own son, Kavad II.
This coin shows on the front Khusrow II with his winged crown, the symbol of Verethragna, the god of Victory. A star and moon crescent tops the crown and also appears in the margin. The back shows Anahita, the goddess of Fertility and all Waters, whose symbols are a star and moon crescent. A halo of flames surrounds her head. Anahita is also shown on some of the gold belt plaques; Khusrow II is depicted wearing a similar belt on his rock-relief at Taq-i Bustan.