A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

714 SASSANIDAE. SASSANIDAE.
hand a stag by its horns, and in the left a spear. Sassanian dynasty. Defeated in two other battles,
The obverse of the second represents the head of Artabaius surrendered to his rival, and was put to
Pavor, and the reverse a biga, which one man death; whereupon the authority of Ardishir was
drives at full speed, while the other is fighting acknowledged throughout the whole extent of the
from behind. On the obverse of the third is the Parthian, now again the Persian, empire. One of
head of Venus, and on the reverse Victory. The his first legislative acts was the restoration of the
heads of Pallor and Pavor are introduced, because pure religion of Zoroaster and the worship of fire,
the Hostilii claimed descent from Tullus Hostilius, in consequence of which the numerous Christians
the third king of Rome, who is said to have vowed in Persia had to suffer many vexations, but the
temples to Pallor and Pavor in his battle with the real persecutions against them began only at a later
Veientes (Liv. i. 27). Hence Lactantius says period. The reigning branch of the Parthian
(i. 20) that this king was the first who figured Arsacidae was exterminated, but some collateral
Pallor and Pavor, and introduced their worship. branches were suffered to live and to enjoy the
(Eckhel, vol. v. p. 226.) privileges of Persian grandees, who, along with the
SASSANIDAE, the name of a dynasty which Magi, formed a sort of senate; and the Arsacidae
reigned in Persia from A. n. 226 to A. D. 651. who ruled in Bactria and Armenia remained for
1. ARDrsHIR or ARDSHIR, the ARTAXERXES some time in the undisturbed possession of their
('AprTa7e"P s) of the Romans and Greeks, the sovereign power. Ardishir having thus succeeded
founder of the dynasty of the Sassanidae, reigned in establishing his authority at home, turned his
from A. D. 226-240. He was a son of one Babek, views abroad, and began with a display of overan inferior officer, who was the son of Sassan, per- bearing insolence almost unparalleled in history.
haps a person of some consequence, since his royal He sent a menacing embassy to Constantinople,
descendants chose to call themselves after him. demanding from the emperor Alexander Severus
The Persian Zinut-al-Tuarikh makes Sassan a the immediate cession of all those portions of the
descendant from Bahman, who was in his turn de- Roman empire that had belonged to Persia in the
scended from one Isfendear, who lived many cen- time of Cyrus and Xerxes, that is, the whole of
turies before Ardishir; but these statements cannot the Roman possessions in Asia, as well as Egypt.
be regarded as historical. Some assign a very low Modesty, perhaps, prevented him from claiming
origin to Ardishir, but it seems that his family was the plain of Marathon and the sea of Salamis
rather above than below the middle classes. They also. This absurd demand is remarkable, in
were natives of, and settled in the province of Fars, so far as it showed the national pride of the
or Persia Proper, and they professed the ancient Persians, and the power of their historical refaith of Zoroaster and his priests, the Magi. These collections. An immediate war between the
circumstances are of great importance in the life of two empires was the direct consequence. As
Ardishir, as will be seen hereafter. Ardishir the leading events of this war are related in the
served with distinction in the army of Artabanus, life of Alexander Severus [SEVERUS] we need only
the king of Parthia, was rewarded with ingratitude, mention here that, notwithstanding an army comand took revenge in revolt. He obtained assistance posed, in addition to infantry, of 170,000 horsemen,
from several grandees, and having met with suc- clad in armour, 700 elephants, with towers and
cess, claimed the throne on the plea of being de- archers, and 1800 war-chariots, bristling with
scended from the ancient kings of Persia, the scythes, the great king was unable to subdue the
progeny of the great Cyrus. His lofty scheme Romans; nor could Alexander Severus do more
became popular, and deserved to be so. During the than preserve his own dominions. After a severe
long rule of the Arsacidae, and in consequence of contest and much bloodshed and devastation, peace
their intimate connections with the West, Greek was restored, shortly after the murder of Alexcustoms, principles, arts, literature, and fashions, in ander in 237, each nation retaining the possessions
short a Greek civilisation had gradually spread which they held before the breaking out of the
over the Persian, or, as it was then called from war. However, the war against king Chosroes of
the ruling tribe, the Parthian empire. This new Armenia, the ally of the Romans, was carried on as
spirit introduced itself even into the religion, for before, till the death of Ardishir in 240. Eastern
although the Arsacidae of Parthia publicly confessed and Western writers coincide in stating that Arthe creed of Zoroaster, their faith, and that of the dishir was an extraordinary man, and much could
court party was mixed up with the principles of the be said of his wisdom and kingly qualities, were it
Greek religion and philosophy. The people, how- consistent with the plan of this work to give more
ever, were still firm adherents of the faith, the than condensed sketches of the lives of the Persian
laws, and the customs of their forefathers, and the kings. His reign, however, offers so many subjects
new spirit which came from the West was looked for reflection, and is so startling an event in the hisupon by them with the same dislike and hatred as, tory of Roman and Greek influence in the East, as to
in modern times, European civilisation is detested deserve the particular attention of the student, who
and despised by the modern Orientals. Ardishir must henceforth be prepared to witness the decline
appealed to the sympathy of the people, and he of that refined and beautiful spirit whose progress
gained his great object. It seems that he spent beyond the Euphrates he has followed with delight
many years in warlike efforts against Artabanus, ever since the conquest of Alexander the Great.
till at last his progress became so alarming that To sum up the leading facts of this decline, the
the king took the field against him with all his writer quotes the observations which he has made
forces. In A. D. 226 Artabanus was defeated, in a in another work. (Biograph. Diction. of the U
decisive battle, in the plain of Hormuz, not far K.S. s. v. Arsacces, xxviii.)
from the Persian Gulf; and Ardishir thereupon " The accession of Artaxerxes forms a new aera
assumed the pompous, but national title of Shahin- in the history of Persia. During the long reign
shah, or "King of Kings." That year is conse- of the Arsacidae the influence of Greek civilisation
quently considered as the beginning of the new which was introduced by Alexander and his suc