sarius appears in these wars as a skilful and suc- His empire
extended
from the Indus to the Red
cessful general.
cessful general.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
Oxon, 1679)
to an immediate war with Diocletian, who took does not mention the coronation of an unborn
proper measures to put a final check on Persian child, but only of a younger son of Hormuz, the
anıbition in that quarter. Galerius Caesar com elder, who bore his father's name Hormuz, or Hor-
manded the Roman army. In the first campaign misdas, having been excluded from the succession.
in 296, he sustained most signal defeats in Meso- Now this llormuz is agnin a well-known historical
potamia, and tied in disgrace to Antioch. In the person, but we must presume that he was a prince
second campaign Narses was the loser, and among of roynl blood, and not the elder brother of the
the trophies of Galerius was the harem of the infant Shapur. Hormisdns was one of the canses
Persian king, a triumph which the Western arms of the great struggle that took place afterwards
had perhaps not obtained over the Persians since between Sapor and the emperor Constantius, and
the victory of Alexander over Darius at Issus. the matter came to pass in the following way.
In his conduct to his female captives, Galerius Zosimus is here a valuable source, and he is corro-
acted as nobly as Alexander. At Nisibis Diocle- borated by the Persian historians. Once, long
tian and Galerius received Apharban, the ambas- before the birth of Sapor, and during the reign of
sador of Narses, who sued for peace with a dignity Hormisdas II. , Prince Hormisdas, then heir-ap-
becoming the representative of a eat, thongh parent as it seems, spoke of some grandees in &
vanquished monarch, and the Romans sent Sicorius very contemptuous manner, menacing them with
Probus to the camp of Narses with power to con- the fate of Marsyas when he should be their king.
clude a final peace, of which they dictated the Unacquainted with Greek mythology, the nobles
conditions. Probus was not immediately admitted inquired who Marsyas was, and were greatly
to the presence of Narses, who obliged the ambas- alarmed when they heard that they might expect
sador to follow him on various excursions, and to be flayed alive, a punishment which was some-
caused a considerable delay to the negotiations for times inflicted in the administration of the crimical
the evident purpose of collecting his dispersed law in Persia. This explains the election of an
forces, and either avoiding the peace altogether, or unborn baby, and also the fate of Prince Hor-
obtaining more favourable conditions. At last, how- misdas, who was thrown into a dungeon as soon
ever,
that famous treaty was made in which Narses as King Hormisdas was dead. After a captivity
ceded to Diocletian Mesopotamia (the northern of many years, be gained his liberty through a
and north-western portions as far down as Cir- stratagem of his wife, who sent him a fish in
cesium at the junction of the Chaboras and Eu- which she had hidden a file, the most welcome
phrates), five small provinces beyond the Tigris present to any prisoner who finds nothing between
on the Persian side, the kingdom of Armenia, and himself and liberty but a couple of iron bars.
some adjacent Median districts, over which Tiridates Hormisdas accordingly escaped and fled to the
was re-established as king, and lastly, the supre- court of the emperor Constans, whither young
macy over Iberia, the kings of which were hence- Sapor generously sent his wife after him. con-
forth under the protection of Rome. Narses, dis stans received him well, and he afterwards appears
abled from thinking of further conquests west of as an important person on the stage of events.
the Tigris, seems to have occupied himself during (Suidas, s. v. Mapovas, relates the same story, and
the last year of his reign with domestic affairs, and speaks of it as a well-known fact: iotopla onan. )
in 303 he abdicated in favour of his son. It is a The minority of Sapor passed without any remark-
strange coincidence of circumstances that both Narses able event regarding Rome.
We must presume
and Diocletian, the vanquished and the victor, that the Persian aristocracy employed their time
were, through quite opposite causes, filled with dis- well in augmenting their power during that mi-
gust at absolute power, and retreated into private nority. In this time also falls the pretended con-
life. Narses, who, notwithstanding his defeats quest of Ctesiphon by Thair, an Arabic or Himy-
and the inglorious peace of 297, was a man of no aritic king of Yemen; and the minister of Sapor
common means and character, died soon after his issued cruel edicts against the Christians, who,
abdication in the same year, 303.
tired of the state of oppression in which they
8. Hormuz or HORMISDAS II. , the son of lived, sought for an amelioration of their condition
Narses, reigned from A. D. 303–310. During his by addressing themselves to Constantius. For this
reign nothing of importance bappened regarding step they were punished by Sapor, who, however,
Rome. His successor was his son
contented himself with imposing a heavy tax upon
9. SHAPUR Or SAPOR II. POSTUMUS, who reigned them. Symeon, bishop of Seleucia, complained of
from a. D. 310—381, and was crowned in his this additional burthen in so haughty and offensive
mother's womb. His father dying without issue, a manner as to arouse the king's anger, and orders
but leaving his queen pregnant, the princes of the were accordingly given to shut up the Christian
collateral branches of the royal house were elated churches, confiscate the ecclesiastical property, and
with hopes of the succession. The Magi, however, put the priest to death. Some years afterwards.
discovered by means only known to them, that the in 344, the choice was left to the Christians be-
queen was pregnant with a male child, and they tween fire worship and death, and during fifty
prevailed upon the grandees to acknowledge the years the cross lay prostrate in blood and ashes till
unborn child as their lawful sovereign, and the it was once more erected by the Nestorians. After
diadem destined to adorn the future king was the death of King Tiridates and the conquest of
placed with great solemnity upon the body of his his kingdom by Sapor in 342, the same cruelties
:
## p. 718 (#734) ############################################
718
SASSANIDAE.
SASSANIDAE.
were perpetrated against the Christians in that Great ; but according to the Persian historians,
country also ; and the hostility which had existed who, in matters of genealogy, deserve full credit,
between Rome and Persia ever since the death of he was the son of one Shapur Zulak tıf, a royal
Constantine, was now changed into a war of exter- prince. Shapur was anxious to be on good terms
mination. An account of these wars has been with the emperor Theodosius the Great, and sent
given in the lives of the enı perors Constantius II. a solemn embassy with splendid presents to him at
and his successors. We shall therefore only men- Constantinople, which was returned by a Greek
tion a few additional facts. Prince Hormisdas embassy headed by Stilicho going to Persia Owing
mentioned above was in the Roman army, and to these diplomatic transactions, an arrangement
fought valiantly against his countrymen, whence was made in 384, according to which Armenia and
we may conclude that, had Constantius reaped Iberia recovered their independence.
laurels instead of thistles in this war, he would 12. Bahram or Varases IV. , reigned from
have put the fugitive prince on the throne of A. D. 390—404, or perhaps not so long. He was
Persia. Sapor, although victorious in the open the brother of Sapor III. , and founded Kerman-
field, could do nothing against the strong bulwarks shah, still a flourishing town. This is recorded in
of Nisibis and other fortresses, and consequently an inscription on a monument near Kermanshah,
derived no advantages from his victories. The which has been copied by European travellers, and
conquest of Armenia was his only trophy ; in his translated by Silvestre de Sacy.
bloody zeal against the Christians in that country, 13. Y EZDIJIRd, or JespigerD I. ('lodovépons),
he went so far as to order all Armenian and Greek surnamed ULATHIM, or the SINNER, the son or
books to be burnt, but even the barbarous murder brother of the preceding, reigned from A. D. 404,
of his (only ? ) son, who had accidentally been or earlier, to 420 or 421. He is commonly called
made a prisoner by the Romans, and was put to Yesdigerd. He stood on friendly terms with the
death by order of Constantius, could not justify emperor Arcadius, who, it is said, appointed him
the still more savage conduct of Sapor inst so the guardian of his infant son and successor,
many innocent and defenceless Christians. Theodosius the Younger. We refer to the life of
In 358, Constantius sued for peace, but was Arcadius for more information respecting this
startled when the Persian ambassador, Narses, de- strange story. Yesdigerd is described by the
livered in Constantinople the conditions of Sapor, Eastern writers as a cruel and extravagant man,
who demanded only Mesopotamia, Armenia, and whose death was hailed by his subjects as a bless.
the five provinces beyond the Tigris, although ing, but the Western writers speak of him as a
as the legitimate successor of Cyrus, he said that model of wisdom and moderation. If the latter
he had a right to all Asia and Europe as far as the are right, they had perhaps in view the peace of a
river Strymon in Macedonia. Constantius en hundred years, which, through the instrumentality
deavoured to obtain better terms; but the negotia of the empress Pulcheria, Arcadius is said to have
tions of his ambassadors in Persia were frustrated concluded with him. But if we admit the correctness
through intrigue and perfidy; and the war was of the former opinion, we are at a loss to explain ih,
continued as before, and with the same disadvan- unless we presume that the Persian fireworship-
tage to the Romans. In 359, Sapor took Amida pers cast disgrace upon the name of their sovereign
by storm, and Singara, Berabde, and other places because he showed himself cruel against the Chris-
yielded to him in the following year. The death tians, and this we can hardly adnit. It is more
of Constantius and the accession of Julian made probable that he was represented as a tyrant, in
no change. The fate of Julian is known. He consequence of having dealt severely with the
might have avoided it by accepting the proposals of powerful aristocratic party. As to the Christians,
peace which Sapor made him immediately after his he was for several years their decided friend, till
accession, but he nobly rejected them, and caused Abdas, bishop of Susa, wantonly destroyed a fire-
his ruin although he did not deserve it. Jovian, temple, and haughtily refused to rebuild it when
to secure his own accession, made that famous the king ordered him to do so. His punishment
treaty with Sapor for which he has been blamed so was death, and one or two (Sozom. ix. 4) persecu-
much, and ceded to him the five provinces beyond tions ensued against the Christians.
the Tigris, and the fortresses of Nisibis, Singara, 14. Bahram or VARANES V. , surnamed GOUR,
&c. Iberia and Armenia were left to their fate ; or the “ Wild Ass,” on account of his passion for
and were completely reduced by Sapor in 365, and the chase of that animal, reigned from a. D. 420 or
the following year. A war with the Caucasian 421 till 440. He was the eldest son of Yesdi-
nations, occasioned through the subjugation of Ar- gerd I. , and inherited from him the hatred of the
menia, and another with the Arsacidae in distant aristocracy, who tried, but in vain, to fix the
Bactria, which might have had its cause in the diadem on the head of Chosroes or Khosrew, a royal
same circumstance, filled the latter years of the prince. In their civil contest Bahram was vic-
reign of Sapor, who died in 381. Sapor has been torious. The persecutions against the Christians
surnamed the Great, and no Persian king had ever were continued by him to such an extent, that
caused such terror to Rome as this monarch. thousands of his subjects took refuge within the
10. ARDISHIR or ARTAXERXES II. , the suc- Roman dominions. He showed the same intole-
cessor of Sapor the Great, reigned from A. D. 381 rant and fanatical spirit towards the Arsacid
-385. He was a prince of royal blood, but his Ardishir or Artaxerxes, whom he had put on the
descent is doubtful, and he was decidedly no son of throne of Armenia, and whom he endeavoured to
Sapor. The peace of 363 being strictly kept by the convert by compulsion. Seeing his dominions de-
Romans, he had no pretext for making war upon populated by a constant tide of emigration, he
them, if he felt inclined to do so, and we pass on to claimed his fugitive subjects back from Constan-
11. Shapur or SAPOR III. , who reigned from tinople, a demand which Theodosius nobly declined
A. D. 385-390. According to Agathias (iv. to comply with. The consequence was a war,
p. 136, ed. Paris) he was the son of Sapor the which broke out in 421, or at least shortly after
## p. 719 (#735) ############################################
SASSANIDAE
719
SASSANIDAE.
the accession of Bahram. In the province of 19. KOBAD, or COBADES (Kobálns), reigned
Arzarene the Persian army under Narses was from A. D. 488 to 498, and again from 501 or 502
completely routed, and the courier (Palladius) till 531. The years from 498 till 502 were filled
brought the joyful tidings in three (? ) days from up by the short reign of, 20. JAMASPES or ZAMES.
the Tigris to the Bosporus. The Greeks, however, According to the Eastern authorities, he was the
failed in the siege of Nisibis, and the Persians in brother of Cobades, whom he dethroned, and com-
their turn were driven back from the walls of pelled to fly to the Huns, with whose assist-
Amida, whose bishop, Acacius, set a generous ance Cobades recovered his throne about 502.
example to the patriotism of its inhabitants. The Cobades divided his kingdom in four great divi-
chief source for the history of this war is an eccle- sions : an eastern, a western, a northern, and a
siastical writer, Socrates, whence we naturally southern, and made many wise regulations. Under
find it mixed up with a great number of wonders him rose the religio-political sect of the Mazda-
and marvellous tales, so that we at once proceed kites, bo named from Mazdar, their founder, and
to its termination, by the famous pence of one whom we may compare to the modern Communists,
hundred years, which lasted till the twelfth or Socialists. Their principles were democratical,
year of the reign of the emperor Anastasius. This and their rise may be considered as a re-action
peace was negotiated by Maximinus and Proco- against the overwhelming intluence of the aris-
pius on the part of the Grecks, and Bahram bound tocracy. Cobades was for some time an adherent
himself to molest the Christians no further, but of Mazdak, but he afterwards turned against him,
his promise was not strictly kept by his successors. in order to gain the aristocratical party. The
During his reign Armenia was divided between Mazdakites accordingly rose in arms, and offered
the Romans and the Persians, whose portion the diadem to Phtasurus, a son of Cobades, but
received the name of Persarmenia. The latter the king seized their leaders by a stratagem, and
years of the reign of this king were occupied by great numbers of the sectarians were massacred.
great wars against the Huns, Turks, and Indians, Procopius (Bell, Pers. i. 11) says, that Cobades
in which Bahram is said to have achieved those entreated the emperor Justin to adopt his son
valorous deeds for which he has ever since con- Khosrew or Chosroes, afterwards Nushirwan, in
tinued to be a favourite hero in Persian poetry. order thus to secure the succession to him through
The Eastern writers relate several stories of him, the assistance of the Romans. But this smacks
some of which are contained in Malcolm's work very much of the tale of Arcadius having ap-
quoted below, to whom we refer the student, for pointed king Yesdigerd the guardian of his son
they are well worth reading. Bahram was acci- Theodosius. The same author relates that Coba-
dentally drowned in a deep well together with his des had four sons, Cuases, Zames, Chosroes, and
horse, and neither man nor beast ever rose again Phtasurus, whence it would seem as if the above
from the fathomless pit. This is historical, and Jamaspes or Zames had rebelled against his father,
the well was visited by Sir John Malcolm, and and not against his brother. But as Cobades
proved fatal to a soldier of his retinue.
reigned forty-three years, it seems incredible that
15. Y EZDIJIRD II. , the son of the preceding, he should have had an adult son at the beginning
reigned from A. D. 448 till 458. He was surnamed of his reign, and this is an additional reason to
“SIPAHDOST," or "The Soldier's Friend. ” The put greater confidence in the Eastern writers in
persecutions against the Christians were renewed matters of genealogy. We now proceed to the
by him with unheard of cruelty, especially in great war between Cobades and the emperor
Persarmenia, where 700 Magi discharged the Anastasius. It appears that according to the
duties of missionaries with sword in hand. The terms of the peace of one hundred years concluded
Armenians nevertheless resisted" bravely, and between Theodosius the Younger and Bahram V. ,
Christianity, though persecuted, was never rooted the Romans were obliged to pay annually a certain
His relations with Rome were peaceful. sum of money to the Persian king, and Cobades
16. HORMUZ, or Hormisdas III. , and 17. Fr- having sent in his request for the purpose, was
ROES, or PEROSES (Tlepółns, llepoons, or llepooltns), answered by Anastasius, that he would lend
sons of the preceding, claimed the succession, and him money, but would not pay any. Cobades
rose in arms against each other. Peroses gained the declared war, and his arms were victorious. The
throne by the assistance of the White Huns, against Roman generals Hypacius and Patricius Phrygius
whom he turned his sword in after years. He pe- were defeated, the fortified towns in Mesopotamia
rished in a great battle with them in 484, or as were conquered by the Persians, and even the
late as 488, together with all of his sons except great fortress of Amida was carried by storm, its
Kobad, or, perhaps, only some of them. Peroses was inhabitants becoming the victims to the fury of the
accompanied on this expedition by an ambassador of besiegers. Arabic and Hunnic hordes served under
the emperor Zeno. (Procop. Bell. Pers. i. 3–6. ) the Persian banner. The Huns, however, turned
18. Palash or Pallas (Tiálas), who reigned against Cobades, and made so powerful a diversion
from A. D. 484 till 488, was, according to the in the North, that he listened to the proposals of
Eastern writers, a son of Peroses, and had to con- Anastasius, to whom he granted peace in 505, on
test the throne with Cobades, who was a son of receiving 11,000 pounds of gold as an indemnity.
Peroses, according to both Eastern and Western He also restored Mesopotamia and his other con-
sources. Terrible internal revolutions took place quests to the Romans, being unable to maintain
during his short reign. The Christians were no his authority there on account of the protracted
longer persecuted because they were not fire-wor- war with the Hung. About this time the Romans
shippers. However, the Nestorians only were pre-constructed the fortress of Dara, the strongest bul-
tected, and the other Christians were compelled to wark against Persia, and situated in the very face
become Nestorians if they would live in peace. of Ciesiphon, on the spot where the traveller
Pallas perished in a battle with his brother descends from the mountainous portion of Mesopo-
Cobades in 188.
tamia into the plains of the South. Cobades, in
out.
## p. 720 (#736) ############################################
720
SASSANIDA E.
SASSANIDAE.
roës.
his turn, seized upon the great defiles of the out, and put themselves under the anthority of the
Caucasus and fortified them, although less as a pre- emperor, so that Khosrew also had a fair pretext for
caution against the Romans than the Huns and war. This war, of which Khosrew did not see the
other northern barbarians. These are the cele- end, broke out in 571, and as its details are given
brated Iberian and Albanian gates, the latter of in the lives of the emperors Justin II. , Tiberius 11. ,
which are now called Demir Kapu, “the Iron Mauritius, and of Justinian, the second son of Ger-
Gates,” or the gates of Derbend. The war with manus, we shall not dwell further upon these
Constantinople was renewed in 521, in the reign of topics.
the emperor Justin I. , and success was rather on the 'We must consider Khosrew as one of the greatest
side of the Persians, till Narses and his brothers, all kings of Persia. In his protracted wars with the
of whom were among the most distinguished gene- Romans he disputed the field with the conquerurs
rals of Cobades, deserted their master for political of Africa and Italy, and with those very generals,
motives which it is not the place here to discuss, Tiberius and Mauritius, who brought Persia to the
and joined the army of Justin. The great Beli- brink of ruin but a few years after his death.
sarius appears in these wars as a skilful and suc- His empire extended from the Indus to the Red
cessful general. Cobades left several sons, but Sea, and large tracts in Central Asia, perhaps a
bequeathed his empire to his favourite son Chos- portion of eastern Europe, recognised him for a
time as their sovereign. He received embassies
21. KhosrU, or Khosrew l. , called Chos- and presents from the remotest kings of Asia and
ROES I. (Xoopóns) by the Greeks, surnamed Africa. His internal government was despotic and
ANUSHIRWAN (Nushirwan), or “the generous cruel, but of that firm description which pleases
mind," one of the greatest monarchs of Persia, Orientals, so that he still lives in the memory of
reigned from A. D. 531 till 579. He inherited the the Persians as a model of justice. The com-
war against the Greeks. We have spoken above munist Mazdak was put to death by his order,
of the strange story that Khosrew was to be adopted after his doctrines had caused a dangerous revo-
by Justin. He was already on his way to Con- lution in the habits and minds of the people, as is
stantinople, when he was informed that the quaes- shown by the fact that his doctrine of community
tor Proclus had raised objections of so grave a of women, so utterly adverse to the views of the
nature against the adoption that the ceremony Oriental nations, had taken a firm root among the
could not take place. Khosrew consequently re- Persians. His heart bled when Nushirad, his son
turned, and it is said that he felt the insult so by a Christian woman, and a Christian himself,
deeply as to seek revenge in carrying destriction rose in arms against him, but he quelled the rebel-
over the Roman empire. The first war was lion vigorously, and Nushirad perished.
finished in 532 or 533, Justinian having purchased The administration of Khosrew provided for all
peace by an annual tribute of 440,000 pieces of the wants of his subjects ; and agriculture, trade, and
gold. One of the conditions of Khosrew was, that learning were equally protected by him. He be-
seven Greek, but Pagan, sages or philosophers stowed the greatest care upon re-populating ravaged
who had stayed some time at the Persian court, provinces, and rebuilding destroyed cities and vil-
should be allowed to live in the Roman empire lages ; so that every body could be happy in Persia,
without being subject to the imperial laws against provided he obeyed the king's will without oppo-
Pagans. This reflects great credit upon the king. sition. At Gondi Sapor, near Susa, he founded
The conquests of Belisarius excited the jealousy of an academy apparently on the model of the Greek
Khosrew, and although he received a considerable schools at Athens, Alexandria, &c. He caused the
portion of the treasures which the Greek found at best Greek, Latin, and Indian works to be trans-
Carthage, he thought it prudent to draw the lated into Persian ; and had he been an Arsacid
Greek arms into a field where laurels were not so instead of a Sassanid, Persia might have become
easily gained as in Africa. To this effect he under him an Eastern Greece.
roused the Arab Almondar, king of Hira, to make 22. HORMUZ or HORMISDAS IV. , the son of
an inroad into the empire, and as he supported Khosrew, reigned from a. D. 579 till 590. He carried
him, hostilities soon broke out between Con- on his father's war with the Greeks, to the disadvan.
stantinople and Ctesiphon also. The details of tage, though not to the disgrace, of Persia. Some
this war, which lasted from 540 to 561, have time before Khosrew died, the general Justinian
been given in the life of Justinian I. The em- had advanced as far as the Caspian, which he ex-
peror promised an annual tribute of 40,000 plored by means of a Greek navy, the first that
pieces of gold, and received the cession of the was seen on those waters since the time of Seleucus
Persian claims upon Colchis and Lazica. The Nicator and Antiochus I. Soter, kings of Syria,
third war arose out of the conquest of Yemen and whose admiral Patrocles first displayed the Greek
other parts of Arabia, from which country the flag on the Caspian. Seventy thousand prisoners
Persians drove out an Abyssinian usurper, and were sent by Justinian to Cyprus, where they
placed a king of the ancient royal family on the settled. Upon this Justinian penetrated into
Homeritic throne, who remained consequently a Assyria. In consequence of a defeat sustained by
vassal of Khosrew. The power of the Persian king the Persian Tamchosroes, Justinian was recalled,
was already sufficiently great to inspire fear to the and replaced by Mauritius, who soon retrieved the
emperor Justin II. , and as the conquest of Arabia fortune of the Greek arms, and in the very year
afforded Khosrew an opportunity of continually when Chosroes died (579) he took up his winter-
annoying Syria and Mesopotamia by means of the quarters in Mesopotamia, from whence, in the fol-
roving tribes on the northern borders of Arabia, lowing year, he penetrated into lower Mesopotamia
the emperor resolved upon war. Turks of Cen- and routed a Persian army. He gained another
tral Asia, and Abyssinians from the sources of victory in 581, and Tamchosroes perished in the
the Nile, were his allies. At the same time (569) battle. But Maurice having succeeded the emperor
the Persarmenians drove their Persian governors | Tiberius in that year, his general in the East,
## p. 721 (#737) ############################################
SASSANIDAE.
721
SASSANIDAE.
:
Mystacon, was twice worsted, and the armies of Greek influence. But when the murderer and
Hormisdas were victorious till 586, when Philip- successor of Mauricius, the tyrant Phocas, an-
pus destroyed the Persian host at Solacon near nounced his accession to Chosroes by Lilius, the
Dara. His successor Heraclius was still more suc- same person who had spilt the blood of Mauricius,
cessful. In the great battle of Sisarbene, in 588, the Persian king, threw the ambassador into a
the Persians were annihilated, and their camp was dungeon and declared war to avenge the death of
taken. Hormuz now concluded an alliance with his benefactor (603). Owing to the prowess of
the Turks, who, however, turned suddenly against the Persians, and the bad choice Phocas made of
him, after having been admitted into Media, and his generals after he had removed Narses from the
Persia would have been lost but for the splendid command, the arms of Chosrues met with extra-
achievements of Bahram, who drove the barbarians ordinary success. He conquered Mesopotamia and
back into their steppes, and compelled them to pny its great bulwarks Dara, Amida, Edessa, and over-
themselves the tribute which they had demanded ran all Asia Minor, making the inhabitants of
from Persia. Bahram was rewarded with ingra- Constantinople tremble for their safety. Nor was
titude, and being supported by the aristocracy his progress checked through the accession of
turned against the king, who now reaped the fruits Heraclius, in 610, who sued in vain for peace.
of his former conduct against the grandecs. While Syria yielded to Chosroes in 611, Palestine in 614,
Bahram advanced upon the royal residence, Hor Egypt in 616, and in the same year Asia Minor
muz was seized by Bindoes, a royal prince ; and a was completely conquered, a Persian camp being
nation that knew no other form of government pitched at Chalcedon, opposite Constantinople,
than the most absolute despotism, now beheld the where the Persians maintained themselves during
anomalous sight of their king being tried by the ten years. It was not before 621 that Heraclius
grandees, sentenced to lose his throne, to be de- showed himself that extraordinary man he really
prived of his sight, and to end his days in captivity. was, and saved the Eastern empire from the brink
Hormuz persuaded the grandees to place the diadem of ruin. The history of his splendid campaigns
on his second son, but he was too much detested has been given in his life with sufficient details to
to meet with compliance, and his eldest son Chos- make its repetition here superfluous. Borne down
roes was chosen in his stead. Bahram protested by a series of unparalleled misfortunes, and worn
against this election with sword in hand, and Chose out by age and fatigue, Chosroes resolved, in 628,
roes, unable to cope with him, fed to the camp of to abdicate in favour of his son Merdaza, but
the emperor. During these troubles the blinded Shirweh, or Siroes, his eldest, anticipated his design,
Hormuz was murdered by Bindoes (590). The and at the head of a band of noble conspirators
events have been more fully related in the life of the seized upon the person of his father, deposed him
emperor Mauricius. King Hormuz would bave met on the 25th of February, 628, and put him to
with a better fate had his father's excellent minister, death on the 28th following.
Abu-zurg-a-mihir, commonly called Buzurg, con- The Orientals say that Chosroes reigned six
tinued to live at his court, from which old age years too long; and it is rather remarkable that
obliged him to retire soon after the accession of his great antagonist Heraclius also outlived his
Hormuz. According to some writers, Buzurg had glory No Persian king lived in such splendour
been minister to king Cobades (502–531); but as Chosroes ; and however fabulous the Eastern
we can hardly believe that he discharged his emi-accounts respecting his magnificence may be, they
pent functions during so long a period as sixty are true in the main, as is attested by the Western
years. However, the thing is possible. This writers. Chosroes was summoned by Mohammed
Buzurg still lives in the memory of the people as to embrace the new doctrine, but replied with con-
one of the greatest sages. He introduced the study tempt to the messenger of a “ lizard eater,” as the
of Indian literature into Persia, and thence also he Persians used to call the wandering tribes of the
imported the most noble of games, chess.
Arabs. His successors held a different language.
23. BAHRAM or VARANES VI. SHUBIN, a royal 25. SHirweh or SIROES (Eupóns), reigned only
prince, reigned from a. D. 590 till 591. This is the eight months, and died probably an unnatura!
great general mentioned in the preceding article. death, after having murdered Merdaza and several
Unable to maintain the throne against hosrew, others of his brothers. In the month of March,
who was supported by the emperor Mauricius, he 628, he concluded peace with the emperor Hera-
fled to the Turks, once his enemies, by whom he clius. The numerous captives were restored on
was well received and raised to the highest digni- both sides, and hundreds of thousands of Greek
ties. It is said that he was poisoned by the Per- subjects were thus given back to their families and
sian king ? ). Bahram was one of the greatest their country. Siroes also restored the holy cross
heroes of Persia, and his life is very interesting. which had been taken at the conquest of Jeru-
24. KHOSREW or CHOSROES II. PURWIZ, reigned salem.
froin A. D. 590 or 591 till 628, and was the son of 26. ARDISHIR or ARTAXERXEs, the infant son
HORMUZ IV. It has been related in the preceding of Siroes, was murdered a few days after the death
article how he ascended the throne, lost it against of his father. He was the last male Sassanid.
Bahram, and recovered it with the assistance of the After him the throne was disputed by a host of
emperor Mauricius. In this expedition the Greek candidates of both sexes and doubtful descent, who
army was commanded by Narses, a general scarcely had no sooner ascended the throne than they were
less eminent than the great eunuch, and who de hurried from it into death or captivity. They were,
stroyed the hopes of the usurper Bahram in two according to the Eastern sources,
great battles on the river Zab. The adherents of 27. PURAN-Dokat, a daughter of Khosrew Pur.
Bahram were severely punished by Chosroes, who wiz, and a sister of Siroes.
continued to live in peace with Constantinople as 28. SHAH-SHENANDAH, her cousin and lover.
long as Mauricius lived, and even kept a Greek 29. A RZEM-DOKHT, a daughter of Khosrew
body guard, so that Persia was entirely under | Purwiz.
VOL. in,
3 A
a
## p. 722 (#738) ############################################
722
SATIBARZANES.
SATURIUS.
300 wonde
30. KESRA, said to be a royal prince, put to the west, left behind with Satibarzanes forty
death.
horse-dartmen, under the command of Anaxippus.
31. FEROKHZAD, said to be a son of Khosrew These, however, together with their commander,
Purwiz, put to death.
were soon after murdered by the satrap, who
32. Y ESDIJIRD Or Jespierd III. , the last king, excited the Arians to rebellion, and gathered his
and said to be a grandson of Chosroes, reigned forces together at the city of Arctoana. Hence,
from a. D. 632 till 651. Having declined to adopt on the approach of Alexander, he fled to join the
the Mohammedan religion, as he was summoned to traitor Bessus ; and the city, after a short siege,
do by the khalif Abu-Bekr, his kingdom was in- was captured by the Macedonians. Towards
vaded by the Arabic general Kalcb. In the battle the end of the same year (B. C. 330), Alex-
of Cadcsia (636), and other engagements, the Per- ander, bearing that Satibarzanes had again en-
bians were worsted ; their fortified towns and royal tered Aria with 2000 horse, supplied by Bessus,
cities were taken one after the other; and, in 651, and had excited the Arians to another revolt, sent
Jesdigerd was an abandoned fugitive in the tract a force against him under Artabazus, Erigyius, and
watered by the Oxus and the Jaxartes, whence he Caranus, according to Arrian. In a baitle which
Bolicited and, perhaps, obtained the assistance of ensued, and of which the issue was yet doubtful,
Tait-Song, emperor of China. He was thus en Satibarzanes came forward and defed any one of
abled to raise an army of Turks, with whom he the enemy's generals to single combat. The chal-
marched against the Arabs; but he was betrayed lenge was accepted by Erigyius, and Satibarzanes
by his allies, by whom he was cut to pieces on his was slain. (Arr. Anub. ill. 25, 28 ; Diod. xvii.
flight from them to the north. He left a son, 78, 81, 83 ; Curt, ri. 6, vii. 3, 4. ) (E. E. )
Firuz, or Peroses, who entered the service of the P. SATRIENUS, a name which occurs only
Chinese emperor; and his son, the last of the on coins, probably derived from Satrius, like
Sassanidae, was raised by the same to the rank of Nasidienus from Nasidius, &c. It is disputed
a vassal king of Bokhara. A daughter of Jesdigerd whether the head on the obverse of the annexed
married Hassan, the son of Ali; and another mar- coin is that of Pallas or of Mars: the features are
ried Mohammed, the son of Abu-Bekr ; important in favour of its being Pallas, but the she-wolf on
events for the later history of Persiah, which was the reverse points rather to Mars. (Eckhel, vol. v.
henceforth a Mohammedan country.
p. 300. )
We observe here that the Persian historians are
respectable sources for the history of the Sassanidae,
and that their chronology differs but little from that
of the Western writers.
(The Greek and Roman writers, who speak of
the Sassanidae, are referred to in the lives of the
contemporary emperors ; comp. Malcom, History of
Persia, vol. i. ; Richter, Hist. kritischer Versuch über
die Arsaciden und Sassaniden-Dynastie, Leipzig,
1801. )
(W. P. ]
SA'SSIA, the mother of the younger Cluentius,
married after the death of her husband her own SA'TRIUS. 1. M. SATRIUS, the son of the
son-in-law, A. Aurius Melinus, and subsequently sister of L. Minucius Basilus, was adopted by the
Oppianicus. Cicero describes her as a monster of latter, whose name he assumed (Cic. de Of. iii.
guilt. (Cic. pro Clucnt. 5, 9, 62, 63, 70. ) [Clu- | 18). He is spoken of under Basilius, No. 5.
ENTIUS. )
2. A. CANINIUS SATRius, is mentioned by
SATACES or SATHACES. (SABACES. ) Cicero in B. c. 65 (ad Att. i. 1. § 3).
SATASPES (Zaton), a Persian and an 3. SATRius, a legate of Trebonius, B. C. 43.
Achaemenid, son of Teaspes. Having offered vio- | (Pseudo-Brut. ad Cic. i. 6. )
lence to a daughter of Zopyrus, the son of Mega- SA'TRIUS RUFUS. (Rufus. ]
byzus, he was condemned by Xerxes to be im- SATRIUS SECUNDUS. [SECUNDUS. )
paled ; but at the request of his mother, the king's SATURE'IUS (Eatupnios), an artist, whose
aunt, this punishment was remitted on condition portrait of Arsinoë in glass is highly praised by
of his effecting the circumnavigation of Africa. Diodorus, in an epigram in the Greek Anthology.
to an immediate war with Diocletian, who took does not mention the coronation of an unborn
proper measures to put a final check on Persian child, but only of a younger son of Hormuz, the
anıbition in that quarter. Galerius Caesar com elder, who bore his father's name Hormuz, or Hor-
manded the Roman army. In the first campaign misdas, having been excluded from the succession.
in 296, he sustained most signal defeats in Meso- Now this llormuz is agnin a well-known historical
potamia, and tied in disgrace to Antioch. In the person, but we must presume that he was a prince
second campaign Narses was the loser, and among of roynl blood, and not the elder brother of the
the trophies of Galerius was the harem of the infant Shapur. Hormisdns was one of the canses
Persian king, a triumph which the Western arms of the great struggle that took place afterwards
had perhaps not obtained over the Persians since between Sapor and the emperor Constantius, and
the victory of Alexander over Darius at Issus. the matter came to pass in the following way.
In his conduct to his female captives, Galerius Zosimus is here a valuable source, and he is corro-
acted as nobly as Alexander. At Nisibis Diocle- borated by the Persian historians. Once, long
tian and Galerius received Apharban, the ambas- before the birth of Sapor, and during the reign of
sador of Narses, who sued for peace with a dignity Hormisdas II. , Prince Hormisdas, then heir-ap-
becoming the representative of a eat, thongh parent as it seems, spoke of some grandees in &
vanquished monarch, and the Romans sent Sicorius very contemptuous manner, menacing them with
Probus to the camp of Narses with power to con- the fate of Marsyas when he should be their king.
clude a final peace, of which they dictated the Unacquainted with Greek mythology, the nobles
conditions. Probus was not immediately admitted inquired who Marsyas was, and were greatly
to the presence of Narses, who obliged the ambas- alarmed when they heard that they might expect
sador to follow him on various excursions, and to be flayed alive, a punishment which was some-
caused a considerable delay to the negotiations for times inflicted in the administration of the crimical
the evident purpose of collecting his dispersed law in Persia. This explains the election of an
forces, and either avoiding the peace altogether, or unborn baby, and also the fate of Prince Hor-
obtaining more favourable conditions. At last, how- misdas, who was thrown into a dungeon as soon
ever,
that famous treaty was made in which Narses as King Hormisdas was dead. After a captivity
ceded to Diocletian Mesopotamia (the northern of many years, be gained his liberty through a
and north-western portions as far down as Cir- stratagem of his wife, who sent him a fish in
cesium at the junction of the Chaboras and Eu- which she had hidden a file, the most welcome
phrates), five small provinces beyond the Tigris present to any prisoner who finds nothing between
on the Persian side, the kingdom of Armenia, and himself and liberty but a couple of iron bars.
some adjacent Median districts, over which Tiridates Hormisdas accordingly escaped and fled to the
was re-established as king, and lastly, the supre- court of the emperor Constans, whither young
macy over Iberia, the kings of which were hence- Sapor generously sent his wife after him. con-
forth under the protection of Rome. Narses, dis stans received him well, and he afterwards appears
abled from thinking of further conquests west of as an important person on the stage of events.
the Tigris, seems to have occupied himself during (Suidas, s. v. Mapovas, relates the same story, and
the last year of his reign with domestic affairs, and speaks of it as a well-known fact: iotopla onan. )
in 303 he abdicated in favour of his son. It is a The minority of Sapor passed without any remark-
strange coincidence of circumstances that both Narses able event regarding Rome.
We must presume
and Diocletian, the vanquished and the victor, that the Persian aristocracy employed their time
were, through quite opposite causes, filled with dis- well in augmenting their power during that mi-
gust at absolute power, and retreated into private nority. In this time also falls the pretended con-
life. Narses, who, notwithstanding his defeats quest of Ctesiphon by Thair, an Arabic or Himy-
and the inglorious peace of 297, was a man of no aritic king of Yemen; and the minister of Sapor
common means and character, died soon after his issued cruel edicts against the Christians, who,
abdication in the same year, 303.
tired of the state of oppression in which they
8. Hormuz or HORMISDAS II. , the son of lived, sought for an amelioration of their condition
Narses, reigned from A. D. 303–310. During his by addressing themselves to Constantius. For this
reign nothing of importance bappened regarding step they were punished by Sapor, who, however,
Rome. His successor was his son
contented himself with imposing a heavy tax upon
9. SHAPUR Or SAPOR II. POSTUMUS, who reigned them. Symeon, bishop of Seleucia, complained of
from a. D. 310—381, and was crowned in his this additional burthen in so haughty and offensive
mother's womb. His father dying without issue, a manner as to arouse the king's anger, and orders
but leaving his queen pregnant, the princes of the were accordingly given to shut up the Christian
collateral branches of the royal house were elated churches, confiscate the ecclesiastical property, and
with hopes of the succession. The Magi, however, put the priest to death. Some years afterwards.
discovered by means only known to them, that the in 344, the choice was left to the Christians be-
queen was pregnant with a male child, and they tween fire worship and death, and during fifty
prevailed upon the grandees to acknowledge the years the cross lay prostrate in blood and ashes till
unborn child as their lawful sovereign, and the it was once more erected by the Nestorians. After
diadem destined to adorn the future king was the death of King Tiridates and the conquest of
placed with great solemnity upon the body of his his kingdom by Sapor in 342, the same cruelties
:
## p. 718 (#734) ############################################
718
SASSANIDAE.
SASSANIDAE.
were perpetrated against the Christians in that Great ; but according to the Persian historians,
country also ; and the hostility which had existed who, in matters of genealogy, deserve full credit,
between Rome and Persia ever since the death of he was the son of one Shapur Zulak tıf, a royal
Constantine, was now changed into a war of exter- prince. Shapur was anxious to be on good terms
mination. An account of these wars has been with the emperor Theodosius the Great, and sent
given in the lives of the enı perors Constantius II. a solemn embassy with splendid presents to him at
and his successors. We shall therefore only men- Constantinople, which was returned by a Greek
tion a few additional facts. Prince Hormisdas embassy headed by Stilicho going to Persia Owing
mentioned above was in the Roman army, and to these diplomatic transactions, an arrangement
fought valiantly against his countrymen, whence was made in 384, according to which Armenia and
we may conclude that, had Constantius reaped Iberia recovered their independence.
laurels instead of thistles in this war, he would 12. Bahram or Varases IV. , reigned from
have put the fugitive prince on the throne of A. D. 390—404, or perhaps not so long. He was
Persia. Sapor, although victorious in the open the brother of Sapor III. , and founded Kerman-
field, could do nothing against the strong bulwarks shah, still a flourishing town. This is recorded in
of Nisibis and other fortresses, and consequently an inscription on a monument near Kermanshah,
derived no advantages from his victories. The which has been copied by European travellers, and
conquest of Armenia was his only trophy ; in his translated by Silvestre de Sacy.
bloody zeal against the Christians in that country, 13. Y EZDIJIRd, or JespigerD I. ('lodovépons),
he went so far as to order all Armenian and Greek surnamed ULATHIM, or the SINNER, the son or
books to be burnt, but even the barbarous murder brother of the preceding, reigned from A. D. 404,
of his (only ? ) son, who had accidentally been or earlier, to 420 or 421. He is commonly called
made a prisoner by the Romans, and was put to Yesdigerd. He stood on friendly terms with the
death by order of Constantius, could not justify emperor Arcadius, who, it is said, appointed him
the still more savage conduct of Sapor inst so the guardian of his infant son and successor,
many innocent and defenceless Christians. Theodosius the Younger. We refer to the life of
In 358, Constantius sued for peace, but was Arcadius for more information respecting this
startled when the Persian ambassador, Narses, de- strange story. Yesdigerd is described by the
livered in Constantinople the conditions of Sapor, Eastern writers as a cruel and extravagant man,
who demanded only Mesopotamia, Armenia, and whose death was hailed by his subjects as a bless.
the five provinces beyond the Tigris, although ing, but the Western writers speak of him as a
as the legitimate successor of Cyrus, he said that model of wisdom and moderation. If the latter
he had a right to all Asia and Europe as far as the are right, they had perhaps in view the peace of a
river Strymon in Macedonia. Constantius en hundred years, which, through the instrumentality
deavoured to obtain better terms; but the negotia of the empress Pulcheria, Arcadius is said to have
tions of his ambassadors in Persia were frustrated concluded with him. But if we admit the correctness
through intrigue and perfidy; and the war was of the former opinion, we are at a loss to explain ih,
continued as before, and with the same disadvan- unless we presume that the Persian fireworship-
tage to the Romans. In 359, Sapor took Amida pers cast disgrace upon the name of their sovereign
by storm, and Singara, Berabde, and other places because he showed himself cruel against the Chris-
yielded to him in the following year. The death tians, and this we can hardly adnit. It is more
of Constantius and the accession of Julian made probable that he was represented as a tyrant, in
no change. The fate of Julian is known. He consequence of having dealt severely with the
might have avoided it by accepting the proposals of powerful aristocratic party. As to the Christians,
peace which Sapor made him immediately after his he was for several years their decided friend, till
accession, but he nobly rejected them, and caused Abdas, bishop of Susa, wantonly destroyed a fire-
his ruin although he did not deserve it. Jovian, temple, and haughtily refused to rebuild it when
to secure his own accession, made that famous the king ordered him to do so. His punishment
treaty with Sapor for which he has been blamed so was death, and one or two (Sozom. ix. 4) persecu-
much, and ceded to him the five provinces beyond tions ensued against the Christians.
the Tigris, and the fortresses of Nisibis, Singara, 14. Bahram or VARANES V. , surnamed GOUR,
&c. Iberia and Armenia were left to their fate ; or the “ Wild Ass,” on account of his passion for
and were completely reduced by Sapor in 365, and the chase of that animal, reigned from a. D. 420 or
the following year. A war with the Caucasian 421 till 440. He was the eldest son of Yesdi-
nations, occasioned through the subjugation of Ar- gerd I. , and inherited from him the hatred of the
menia, and another with the Arsacidae in distant aristocracy, who tried, but in vain, to fix the
Bactria, which might have had its cause in the diadem on the head of Chosroes or Khosrew, a royal
same circumstance, filled the latter years of the prince. In their civil contest Bahram was vic-
reign of Sapor, who died in 381. Sapor has been torious. The persecutions against the Christians
surnamed the Great, and no Persian king had ever were continued by him to such an extent, that
caused such terror to Rome as this monarch. thousands of his subjects took refuge within the
10. ARDISHIR or ARTAXERXES II. , the suc- Roman dominions. He showed the same intole-
cessor of Sapor the Great, reigned from A. D. 381 rant and fanatical spirit towards the Arsacid
-385. He was a prince of royal blood, but his Ardishir or Artaxerxes, whom he had put on the
descent is doubtful, and he was decidedly no son of throne of Armenia, and whom he endeavoured to
Sapor. The peace of 363 being strictly kept by the convert by compulsion. Seeing his dominions de-
Romans, he had no pretext for making war upon populated by a constant tide of emigration, he
them, if he felt inclined to do so, and we pass on to claimed his fugitive subjects back from Constan-
11. Shapur or SAPOR III. , who reigned from tinople, a demand which Theodosius nobly declined
A. D. 385-390. According to Agathias (iv. to comply with. The consequence was a war,
p. 136, ed. Paris) he was the son of Sapor the which broke out in 421, or at least shortly after
## p. 719 (#735) ############################################
SASSANIDAE
719
SASSANIDAE.
the accession of Bahram. In the province of 19. KOBAD, or COBADES (Kobálns), reigned
Arzarene the Persian army under Narses was from A. D. 488 to 498, and again from 501 or 502
completely routed, and the courier (Palladius) till 531. The years from 498 till 502 were filled
brought the joyful tidings in three (? ) days from up by the short reign of, 20. JAMASPES or ZAMES.
the Tigris to the Bosporus. The Greeks, however, According to the Eastern authorities, he was the
failed in the siege of Nisibis, and the Persians in brother of Cobades, whom he dethroned, and com-
their turn were driven back from the walls of pelled to fly to the Huns, with whose assist-
Amida, whose bishop, Acacius, set a generous ance Cobades recovered his throne about 502.
example to the patriotism of its inhabitants. The Cobades divided his kingdom in four great divi-
chief source for the history of this war is an eccle- sions : an eastern, a western, a northern, and a
siastical writer, Socrates, whence we naturally southern, and made many wise regulations. Under
find it mixed up with a great number of wonders him rose the religio-political sect of the Mazda-
and marvellous tales, so that we at once proceed kites, bo named from Mazdar, their founder, and
to its termination, by the famous pence of one whom we may compare to the modern Communists,
hundred years, which lasted till the twelfth or Socialists. Their principles were democratical,
year of the reign of the emperor Anastasius. This and their rise may be considered as a re-action
peace was negotiated by Maximinus and Proco- against the overwhelming intluence of the aris-
pius on the part of the Grecks, and Bahram bound tocracy. Cobades was for some time an adherent
himself to molest the Christians no further, but of Mazdak, but he afterwards turned against him,
his promise was not strictly kept by his successors. in order to gain the aristocratical party. The
During his reign Armenia was divided between Mazdakites accordingly rose in arms, and offered
the Romans and the Persians, whose portion the diadem to Phtasurus, a son of Cobades, but
received the name of Persarmenia. The latter the king seized their leaders by a stratagem, and
years of the reign of this king were occupied by great numbers of the sectarians were massacred.
great wars against the Huns, Turks, and Indians, Procopius (Bell, Pers. i. 11) says, that Cobades
in which Bahram is said to have achieved those entreated the emperor Justin to adopt his son
valorous deeds for which he has ever since con- Khosrew or Chosroes, afterwards Nushirwan, in
tinued to be a favourite hero in Persian poetry. order thus to secure the succession to him through
The Eastern writers relate several stories of him, the assistance of the Romans. But this smacks
some of which are contained in Malcolm's work very much of the tale of Arcadius having ap-
quoted below, to whom we refer the student, for pointed king Yesdigerd the guardian of his son
they are well worth reading. Bahram was acci- Theodosius. The same author relates that Coba-
dentally drowned in a deep well together with his des had four sons, Cuases, Zames, Chosroes, and
horse, and neither man nor beast ever rose again Phtasurus, whence it would seem as if the above
from the fathomless pit. This is historical, and Jamaspes or Zames had rebelled against his father,
the well was visited by Sir John Malcolm, and and not against his brother. But as Cobades
proved fatal to a soldier of his retinue.
reigned forty-three years, it seems incredible that
15. Y EZDIJIRD II. , the son of the preceding, he should have had an adult son at the beginning
reigned from A. D. 448 till 458. He was surnamed of his reign, and this is an additional reason to
“SIPAHDOST," or "The Soldier's Friend. ” The put greater confidence in the Eastern writers in
persecutions against the Christians were renewed matters of genealogy. We now proceed to the
by him with unheard of cruelty, especially in great war between Cobades and the emperor
Persarmenia, where 700 Magi discharged the Anastasius. It appears that according to the
duties of missionaries with sword in hand. The terms of the peace of one hundred years concluded
Armenians nevertheless resisted" bravely, and between Theodosius the Younger and Bahram V. ,
Christianity, though persecuted, was never rooted the Romans were obliged to pay annually a certain
His relations with Rome were peaceful. sum of money to the Persian king, and Cobades
16. HORMUZ, or Hormisdas III. , and 17. Fr- having sent in his request for the purpose, was
ROES, or PEROSES (Tlepółns, llepoons, or llepooltns), answered by Anastasius, that he would lend
sons of the preceding, claimed the succession, and him money, but would not pay any. Cobades
rose in arms against each other. Peroses gained the declared war, and his arms were victorious. The
throne by the assistance of the White Huns, against Roman generals Hypacius and Patricius Phrygius
whom he turned his sword in after years. He pe- were defeated, the fortified towns in Mesopotamia
rished in a great battle with them in 484, or as were conquered by the Persians, and even the
late as 488, together with all of his sons except great fortress of Amida was carried by storm, its
Kobad, or, perhaps, only some of them. Peroses was inhabitants becoming the victims to the fury of the
accompanied on this expedition by an ambassador of besiegers. Arabic and Hunnic hordes served under
the emperor Zeno. (Procop. Bell. Pers. i. 3–6. ) the Persian banner. The Huns, however, turned
18. Palash or Pallas (Tiálas), who reigned against Cobades, and made so powerful a diversion
from A. D. 484 till 488, was, according to the in the North, that he listened to the proposals of
Eastern writers, a son of Peroses, and had to con- Anastasius, to whom he granted peace in 505, on
test the throne with Cobades, who was a son of receiving 11,000 pounds of gold as an indemnity.
Peroses, according to both Eastern and Western He also restored Mesopotamia and his other con-
sources. Terrible internal revolutions took place quests to the Romans, being unable to maintain
during his short reign. The Christians were no his authority there on account of the protracted
longer persecuted because they were not fire-wor- war with the Hung. About this time the Romans
shippers. However, the Nestorians only were pre-constructed the fortress of Dara, the strongest bul-
tected, and the other Christians were compelled to wark against Persia, and situated in the very face
become Nestorians if they would live in peace. of Ciesiphon, on the spot where the traveller
Pallas perished in a battle with his brother descends from the mountainous portion of Mesopo-
Cobades in 188.
tamia into the plains of the South. Cobades, in
out.
## p. 720 (#736) ############################################
720
SASSANIDA E.
SASSANIDAE.
roës.
his turn, seized upon the great defiles of the out, and put themselves under the anthority of the
Caucasus and fortified them, although less as a pre- emperor, so that Khosrew also had a fair pretext for
caution against the Romans than the Huns and war. This war, of which Khosrew did not see the
other northern barbarians. These are the cele- end, broke out in 571, and as its details are given
brated Iberian and Albanian gates, the latter of in the lives of the emperors Justin II. , Tiberius 11. ,
which are now called Demir Kapu, “the Iron Mauritius, and of Justinian, the second son of Ger-
Gates,” or the gates of Derbend. The war with manus, we shall not dwell further upon these
Constantinople was renewed in 521, in the reign of topics.
the emperor Justin I. , and success was rather on the 'We must consider Khosrew as one of the greatest
side of the Persians, till Narses and his brothers, all kings of Persia. In his protracted wars with the
of whom were among the most distinguished gene- Romans he disputed the field with the conquerurs
rals of Cobades, deserted their master for political of Africa and Italy, and with those very generals,
motives which it is not the place here to discuss, Tiberius and Mauritius, who brought Persia to the
and joined the army of Justin. The great Beli- brink of ruin but a few years after his death.
sarius appears in these wars as a skilful and suc- His empire extended from the Indus to the Red
cessful general. Cobades left several sons, but Sea, and large tracts in Central Asia, perhaps a
bequeathed his empire to his favourite son Chos- portion of eastern Europe, recognised him for a
time as their sovereign. He received embassies
21. KhosrU, or Khosrew l. , called Chos- and presents from the remotest kings of Asia and
ROES I. (Xoopóns) by the Greeks, surnamed Africa. His internal government was despotic and
ANUSHIRWAN (Nushirwan), or “the generous cruel, but of that firm description which pleases
mind," one of the greatest monarchs of Persia, Orientals, so that he still lives in the memory of
reigned from A. D. 531 till 579. He inherited the the Persians as a model of justice. The com-
war against the Greeks. We have spoken above munist Mazdak was put to death by his order,
of the strange story that Khosrew was to be adopted after his doctrines had caused a dangerous revo-
by Justin. He was already on his way to Con- lution in the habits and minds of the people, as is
stantinople, when he was informed that the quaes- shown by the fact that his doctrine of community
tor Proclus had raised objections of so grave a of women, so utterly adverse to the views of the
nature against the adoption that the ceremony Oriental nations, had taken a firm root among the
could not take place. Khosrew consequently re- Persians. His heart bled when Nushirad, his son
turned, and it is said that he felt the insult so by a Christian woman, and a Christian himself,
deeply as to seek revenge in carrying destriction rose in arms against him, but he quelled the rebel-
over the Roman empire. The first war was lion vigorously, and Nushirad perished.
finished in 532 or 533, Justinian having purchased The administration of Khosrew provided for all
peace by an annual tribute of 440,000 pieces of the wants of his subjects ; and agriculture, trade, and
gold. One of the conditions of Khosrew was, that learning were equally protected by him. He be-
seven Greek, but Pagan, sages or philosophers stowed the greatest care upon re-populating ravaged
who had stayed some time at the Persian court, provinces, and rebuilding destroyed cities and vil-
should be allowed to live in the Roman empire lages ; so that every body could be happy in Persia,
without being subject to the imperial laws against provided he obeyed the king's will without oppo-
Pagans. This reflects great credit upon the king. sition. At Gondi Sapor, near Susa, he founded
The conquests of Belisarius excited the jealousy of an academy apparently on the model of the Greek
Khosrew, and although he received a considerable schools at Athens, Alexandria, &c. He caused the
portion of the treasures which the Greek found at best Greek, Latin, and Indian works to be trans-
Carthage, he thought it prudent to draw the lated into Persian ; and had he been an Arsacid
Greek arms into a field where laurels were not so instead of a Sassanid, Persia might have become
easily gained as in Africa. To this effect he under him an Eastern Greece.
roused the Arab Almondar, king of Hira, to make 22. HORMUZ or HORMISDAS IV. , the son of
an inroad into the empire, and as he supported Khosrew, reigned from a. D. 579 till 590. He carried
him, hostilities soon broke out between Con- on his father's war with the Greeks, to the disadvan.
stantinople and Ctesiphon also. The details of tage, though not to the disgrace, of Persia. Some
this war, which lasted from 540 to 561, have time before Khosrew died, the general Justinian
been given in the life of Justinian I. The em- had advanced as far as the Caspian, which he ex-
peror promised an annual tribute of 40,000 plored by means of a Greek navy, the first that
pieces of gold, and received the cession of the was seen on those waters since the time of Seleucus
Persian claims upon Colchis and Lazica. The Nicator and Antiochus I. Soter, kings of Syria,
third war arose out of the conquest of Yemen and whose admiral Patrocles first displayed the Greek
other parts of Arabia, from which country the flag on the Caspian. Seventy thousand prisoners
Persians drove out an Abyssinian usurper, and were sent by Justinian to Cyprus, where they
placed a king of the ancient royal family on the settled. Upon this Justinian penetrated into
Homeritic throne, who remained consequently a Assyria. In consequence of a defeat sustained by
vassal of Khosrew. The power of the Persian king the Persian Tamchosroes, Justinian was recalled,
was already sufficiently great to inspire fear to the and replaced by Mauritius, who soon retrieved the
emperor Justin II. , and as the conquest of Arabia fortune of the Greek arms, and in the very year
afforded Khosrew an opportunity of continually when Chosroes died (579) he took up his winter-
annoying Syria and Mesopotamia by means of the quarters in Mesopotamia, from whence, in the fol-
roving tribes on the northern borders of Arabia, lowing year, he penetrated into lower Mesopotamia
the emperor resolved upon war. Turks of Cen- and routed a Persian army. He gained another
tral Asia, and Abyssinians from the sources of victory in 581, and Tamchosroes perished in the
the Nile, were his allies. At the same time (569) battle. But Maurice having succeeded the emperor
the Persarmenians drove their Persian governors | Tiberius in that year, his general in the East,
## p. 721 (#737) ############################################
SASSANIDAE.
721
SASSANIDAE.
:
Mystacon, was twice worsted, and the armies of Greek influence. But when the murderer and
Hormisdas were victorious till 586, when Philip- successor of Mauricius, the tyrant Phocas, an-
pus destroyed the Persian host at Solacon near nounced his accession to Chosroes by Lilius, the
Dara. His successor Heraclius was still more suc- same person who had spilt the blood of Mauricius,
cessful. In the great battle of Sisarbene, in 588, the Persian king, threw the ambassador into a
the Persians were annihilated, and their camp was dungeon and declared war to avenge the death of
taken. Hormuz now concluded an alliance with his benefactor (603). Owing to the prowess of
the Turks, who, however, turned suddenly against the Persians, and the bad choice Phocas made of
him, after having been admitted into Media, and his generals after he had removed Narses from the
Persia would have been lost but for the splendid command, the arms of Chosrues met with extra-
achievements of Bahram, who drove the barbarians ordinary success. He conquered Mesopotamia and
back into their steppes, and compelled them to pny its great bulwarks Dara, Amida, Edessa, and over-
themselves the tribute which they had demanded ran all Asia Minor, making the inhabitants of
from Persia. Bahram was rewarded with ingra- Constantinople tremble for their safety. Nor was
titude, and being supported by the aristocracy his progress checked through the accession of
turned against the king, who now reaped the fruits Heraclius, in 610, who sued in vain for peace.
of his former conduct against the grandecs. While Syria yielded to Chosroes in 611, Palestine in 614,
Bahram advanced upon the royal residence, Hor Egypt in 616, and in the same year Asia Minor
muz was seized by Bindoes, a royal prince ; and a was completely conquered, a Persian camp being
nation that knew no other form of government pitched at Chalcedon, opposite Constantinople,
than the most absolute despotism, now beheld the where the Persians maintained themselves during
anomalous sight of their king being tried by the ten years. It was not before 621 that Heraclius
grandees, sentenced to lose his throne, to be de- showed himself that extraordinary man he really
prived of his sight, and to end his days in captivity. was, and saved the Eastern empire from the brink
Hormuz persuaded the grandees to place the diadem of ruin. The history of his splendid campaigns
on his second son, but he was too much detested has been given in his life with sufficient details to
to meet with compliance, and his eldest son Chos- make its repetition here superfluous. Borne down
roes was chosen in his stead. Bahram protested by a series of unparalleled misfortunes, and worn
against this election with sword in hand, and Chose out by age and fatigue, Chosroes resolved, in 628,
roes, unable to cope with him, fed to the camp of to abdicate in favour of his son Merdaza, but
the emperor. During these troubles the blinded Shirweh, or Siroes, his eldest, anticipated his design,
Hormuz was murdered by Bindoes (590). The and at the head of a band of noble conspirators
events have been more fully related in the life of the seized upon the person of his father, deposed him
emperor Mauricius. King Hormuz would bave met on the 25th of February, 628, and put him to
with a better fate had his father's excellent minister, death on the 28th following.
Abu-zurg-a-mihir, commonly called Buzurg, con- The Orientals say that Chosroes reigned six
tinued to live at his court, from which old age years too long; and it is rather remarkable that
obliged him to retire soon after the accession of his great antagonist Heraclius also outlived his
Hormuz. According to some writers, Buzurg had glory No Persian king lived in such splendour
been minister to king Cobades (502–531); but as Chosroes ; and however fabulous the Eastern
we can hardly believe that he discharged his emi-accounts respecting his magnificence may be, they
pent functions during so long a period as sixty are true in the main, as is attested by the Western
years. However, the thing is possible. This writers. Chosroes was summoned by Mohammed
Buzurg still lives in the memory of the people as to embrace the new doctrine, but replied with con-
one of the greatest sages. He introduced the study tempt to the messenger of a “ lizard eater,” as the
of Indian literature into Persia, and thence also he Persians used to call the wandering tribes of the
imported the most noble of games, chess.
Arabs. His successors held a different language.
23. BAHRAM or VARANES VI. SHUBIN, a royal 25. SHirweh or SIROES (Eupóns), reigned only
prince, reigned from a. D. 590 till 591. This is the eight months, and died probably an unnatura!
great general mentioned in the preceding article. death, after having murdered Merdaza and several
Unable to maintain the throne against hosrew, others of his brothers. In the month of March,
who was supported by the emperor Mauricius, he 628, he concluded peace with the emperor Hera-
fled to the Turks, once his enemies, by whom he clius. The numerous captives were restored on
was well received and raised to the highest digni- both sides, and hundreds of thousands of Greek
ties. It is said that he was poisoned by the Per- subjects were thus given back to their families and
sian king ? ). Bahram was one of the greatest their country. Siroes also restored the holy cross
heroes of Persia, and his life is very interesting. which had been taken at the conquest of Jeru-
24. KHOSREW or CHOSROES II. PURWIZ, reigned salem.
froin A. D. 590 or 591 till 628, and was the son of 26. ARDISHIR or ARTAXERXEs, the infant son
HORMUZ IV. It has been related in the preceding of Siroes, was murdered a few days after the death
article how he ascended the throne, lost it against of his father. He was the last male Sassanid.
Bahram, and recovered it with the assistance of the After him the throne was disputed by a host of
emperor Mauricius. In this expedition the Greek candidates of both sexes and doubtful descent, who
army was commanded by Narses, a general scarcely had no sooner ascended the throne than they were
less eminent than the great eunuch, and who de hurried from it into death or captivity. They were,
stroyed the hopes of the usurper Bahram in two according to the Eastern sources,
great battles on the river Zab. The adherents of 27. PURAN-Dokat, a daughter of Khosrew Pur.
Bahram were severely punished by Chosroes, who wiz, and a sister of Siroes.
continued to live in peace with Constantinople as 28. SHAH-SHENANDAH, her cousin and lover.
long as Mauricius lived, and even kept a Greek 29. A RZEM-DOKHT, a daughter of Khosrew
body guard, so that Persia was entirely under | Purwiz.
VOL. in,
3 A
a
## p. 722 (#738) ############################################
722
SATIBARZANES.
SATURIUS.
300 wonde
30. KESRA, said to be a royal prince, put to the west, left behind with Satibarzanes forty
death.
horse-dartmen, under the command of Anaxippus.
31. FEROKHZAD, said to be a son of Khosrew These, however, together with their commander,
Purwiz, put to death.
were soon after murdered by the satrap, who
32. Y ESDIJIRD Or Jespierd III. , the last king, excited the Arians to rebellion, and gathered his
and said to be a grandson of Chosroes, reigned forces together at the city of Arctoana. Hence,
from a. D. 632 till 651. Having declined to adopt on the approach of Alexander, he fled to join the
the Mohammedan religion, as he was summoned to traitor Bessus ; and the city, after a short siege,
do by the khalif Abu-Bekr, his kingdom was in- was captured by the Macedonians. Towards
vaded by the Arabic general Kalcb. In the battle the end of the same year (B. C. 330), Alex-
of Cadcsia (636), and other engagements, the Per- ander, bearing that Satibarzanes had again en-
bians were worsted ; their fortified towns and royal tered Aria with 2000 horse, supplied by Bessus,
cities were taken one after the other; and, in 651, and had excited the Arians to another revolt, sent
Jesdigerd was an abandoned fugitive in the tract a force against him under Artabazus, Erigyius, and
watered by the Oxus and the Jaxartes, whence he Caranus, according to Arrian. In a baitle which
Bolicited and, perhaps, obtained the assistance of ensued, and of which the issue was yet doubtful,
Tait-Song, emperor of China. He was thus en Satibarzanes came forward and defed any one of
abled to raise an army of Turks, with whom he the enemy's generals to single combat. The chal-
marched against the Arabs; but he was betrayed lenge was accepted by Erigyius, and Satibarzanes
by his allies, by whom he was cut to pieces on his was slain. (Arr. Anub. ill. 25, 28 ; Diod. xvii.
flight from them to the north. He left a son, 78, 81, 83 ; Curt, ri. 6, vii. 3, 4. ) (E. E. )
Firuz, or Peroses, who entered the service of the P. SATRIENUS, a name which occurs only
Chinese emperor; and his son, the last of the on coins, probably derived from Satrius, like
Sassanidae, was raised by the same to the rank of Nasidienus from Nasidius, &c. It is disputed
a vassal king of Bokhara. A daughter of Jesdigerd whether the head on the obverse of the annexed
married Hassan, the son of Ali; and another mar- coin is that of Pallas or of Mars: the features are
ried Mohammed, the son of Abu-Bekr ; important in favour of its being Pallas, but the she-wolf on
events for the later history of Persiah, which was the reverse points rather to Mars. (Eckhel, vol. v.
henceforth a Mohammedan country.
p. 300. )
We observe here that the Persian historians are
respectable sources for the history of the Sassanidae,
and that their chronology differs but little from that
of the Western writers.
(The Greek and Roman writers, who speak of
the Sassanidae, are referred to in the lives of the
contemporary emperors ; comp. Malcom, History of
Persia, vol. i. ; Richter, Hist. kritischer Versuch über
die Arsaciden und Sassaniden-Dynastie, Leipzig,
1801. )
(W. P. ]
SA'SSIA, the mother of the younger Cluentius,
married after the death of her husband her own SA'TRIUS. 1. M. SATRIUS, the son of the
son-in-law, A. Aurius Melinus, and subsequently sister of L. Minucius Basilus, was adopted by the
Oppianicus. Cicero describes her as a monster of latter, whose name he assumed (Cic. de Of. iii.
guilt. (Cic. pro Clucnt. 5, 9, 62, 63, 70. ) [Clu- | 18). He is spoken of under Basilius, No. 5.
ENTIUS. )
2. A. CANINIUS SATRius, is mentioned by
SATACES or SATHACES. (SABACES. ) Cicero in B. c. 65 (ad Att. i. 1. § 3).
SATASPES (Zaton), a Persian and an 3. SATRius, a legate of Trebonius, B. C. 43.
Achaemenid, son of Teaspes. Having offered vio- | (Pseudo-Brut. ad Cic. i. 6. )
lence to a daughter of Zopyrus, the son of Mega- SA'TRIUS RUFUS. (Rufus. ]
byzus, he was condemned by Xerxes to be im- SATRIUS SECUNDUS. [SECUNDUS. )
paled ; but at the request of his mother, the king's SATURE'IUS (Eatupnios), an artist, whose
aunt, this punishment was remitted on condition portrait of Arsinoë in glass is highly praised by
of his effecting the circumnavigation of Africa. Diodorus, in an epigram in the Greek Anthology.
