Bahram II

Bahram II was the fifth Sasanian King of Kings of Iran, ruling from 274 to 293. He was the son of Bahram I and came to the throne while still in his teens with the help of a powerful Zoroastrian priest named Kartir.

During his time as king, Bahram II faced many difficulties. His brother Hormizd I Kushanshah led a rebellion in the east, claiming to be King of Kings himself. Another rebellion happened in Sakastan, led by Bahram II's cousin Hormizd. There was also a revolt in Khuzestan by a Zoroastrian priest. The Roman emperor Carus took advantage of these troubles and attacked Mesopotamia in 283. Though Bahram II lost his capital, Ctesiphon, at the time, Carus died soon after, and the Roman army left. Later, Bahram II made peace with the Roman emperor Diocletian and settled the disturbances in the east and Khuzestan.

In the Caucasus, Bahram II strengthened his kingdom by placing Mirian III, a nobleman from the House of Mihran, on the throne of Iberia. Scholars think he may have been the first Sasanian ruler to put images of his family on coins. He also ordered the carving of rock reliefs showing his family and noble members. After his death, his son Bahram III took over but was removed after four months by Narseh, a son of the earlier ruler Shapur I.

Name

The name "Bahram" comes from an old Iranian word meaning victory. It was the name of an ancient Iranian god. Different cultures had their own ways of saying the name. For example, in Greek it was said as "Baranes," and in Armenian it was "Vahagn" or "Vrām." The name appears in Georgian as "Baram" and in Latin as "Vararanes."

Background

Bahram II was the eldest son of Bahram I, the fourth king (shah) of the Sasanian dynasty, and the grandson of the important shah Shapur I. The Sasanians became the rulers of Iran in 224 after Ardashir I defeated the last king of the Parthian Arsacid Empire at the Battle of Hormozdgan.

Bahram II was likely born around the year 262. His father, Bahram I, was not the expected heir to the throne because of his mother's background. After Shapur I died in 270, Bahram I took the throne with help from a powerful Zoroastrian priest named Kartir. To avoid future problems, Bahram I agreed that his brother Narseh could rule the province of Armenia instead of challenging him for the throne.

Governorship and accession

Bahram was given charge of the southeastern areas known as Sakastan, Hind, and Turgistan. These places were far from the main royal city of Ctesiphon and were often hard to manage. After his father, Bahram I, passed away in September 274, Bahram II took over as ruler while still in his teens. He likely had help from a powerful priest named Kartir to become king instead of another relative, Narseh. Narseh was unhappy about this because he was considered the heir to the throne.

Reign

Bahram II faced many challenges during his time as ruler. His brother, Hormizd I Kushanshah, who ruled a part of the empire in the east, rebelled against him. Hormizd tried to claim a bigger title and was supported by nearby groups. There was also a revolt in another area led by someone related to Bahram II.

At the same time, the Roman emperor Carus saw the confusion in the empire and attacked. He reached the capital city, Ctesiphon, but soon after, he passed away, and the Roman army left. Later, Bahram II made peace with the new Roman emperor, Diocletian.

Bahram II also worked to strengthen his empire by placing a loyal noble, Mirian III, in a nearby country. He sent soldiers to protect Mirian III and ensure his support. By the time Bahram II passed away in 293, he had put down the revolts in the east, and his son was made governor of one of the areas.

Relations with Kartir and religious policy

Bahram II cared deeply about his religious beliefs and showed great respect to the Zoroastrian priest Kartir. He treated Kartir like a teacher and gave him important positions, including making him a high-ranking official and the main judge of the whole empire. This meant that priests began to take on the role of judges.

Kartir became a very powerful figure during Bahram II's rule. He claimed to have taken strong actions against groups that did not follow Zoroastrianism, though historians are unsure how much of this actually happened. Some other historical records from Jewish and Christian groups do not mention any troubles during this time.

Coins

Bahram II was the first Sasanian king shown with earrings on his coins. He also added wings to his crown, which were inspired by a god's bird called Verethragna. The words on his coins described him as "the Mazda-worshiping, divine Bahram, King of Kings of Iran(ians) and non-Iran(ians), whose image/brilliance is from the gods."

During his time, many different kinds of coins were made. Some showed just Bahram II. Others showed him with a woman, or with a young man wearing a special hat known as a Median bonnet. On some coins, all three — Bahram II, the woman, and the young man — appeared together. The woman sometimes wore different headpieces with symbols like a boar, griffin, horse, or eagle. The exact meaning of these pictures is not fully understood.

The young man is often thought to be Bahram III, his son and heir, and the woman is usually believed to be his cousin and queen, Shapurdukhtak. If this is true, Bahram II was the first and only king to put images of his family on his coins. The back of the coins always showed a traditional fire altar with two people standing beside it.

Rock reliefs

Bahram II had many rock carvings made to show his power and stories from his life. One carving at Guyom shows him standing alone. Another at Sar Mashhad shows him hunting lions, with his queen holding his hand for safety. There are also carvings at Sarab-e Bahram, Bishapur, and Naqsh-e Rostam, showing him with important people and in different scenes from his rule.

Legacy

During Bahram II's time, art in Sasanian Iran grew and improved, especially in paintings of the king and his friends. He was the first and only king to show a woman on his coins, except for a queen who lived much later.

Some historians think Bahram II was not very strong as a ruler, but he did well in battles. He stopped problems in some areas and kept enemies away from important lands. His time as ruler seems to have been calm and careful for the Sasanian leaders.