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

SASSANIDAE. SASSANIDAE. 7'21
Mystacon, was twice worsted, and the armies of Greek influence. But when the murderer and
Ilormisdas were victorious till 586, when Philip- successor of Mauricius, the tyrant Phocas, anpus 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 Chosroes met with extraachievements of Bahram, who drove the barbarians ordinary success. He conquered Mesopotamia and
back into their steppes, and compelled them to pay its great bulwarks Dara, Amida, Edessa, and overthemselves 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 grandees. 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
grnandees, sentenced to lose his throne, to be de- showed himself that extraordinary man he really
pIrived 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. Bahr-am protested by a series of unparalleled misfortunes, and worn
against this election with sword in hand, and Chos- out by age and fatigue, Chosroes resolved, in 628,
roes, unable to cope with him, fled 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 have 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
tinned to live at his court, from which old age years too long; and it is rather remarkable tlat
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
nent 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 collonle 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 (-Lp0sas), reigned only
prince, reigned from A. D. 590 till 591. This is the eight months, and died probably an unnatural
great general mentioned in the preceding article. death, after having murdered Merdaza and several
Unable to maintain the throne against Khosrew, others of his brothers. In the month of March,
who was supported by the emperor Mauricius, he 628, he concluded peace with the emperor Herafled 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 Jeru24. KHIosREW or CHOSROESIL. PURwIz,reigned salem.
from A. D. 590 or 591 till 628, and was the son of 26. ARDISHIR or ARTAXERXES, the infant son
HosRMvz 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 head 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,
stroved the hopes of the usurper Bahram in two according to the Eastern sourcesgreat battles on the river Zab. The adherents of 27. PURAN-DOKHT, a daughter of Khosrew PurBahram were severely punished by Chosroes, who X 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. ARZEM-DOIHT, a daughter of Khosrew
body guard, so that Persia was entirely sunder PLurviz.
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