Shapur II, Golden Age

Shapur II has the record for the longest reign in the history of Iran, 70 years, out of which he ruled personally for 54 years. The first 16 years of his life, the power in the country was in hands of Shapur’s mother and her husband Vahram. In 325, maybe the honour the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Sasanian empire, Shapur was crowned as the ruler of the empire. He is probably the greatest military genius Iran had seen since Arashk I, founder of Parthian empire. In few short years, Shapur defeated all of the minor kingdoms that had dared declare independence in his minority. He expanded his empire from Punjab in northern India to the north of Caucasus, and from borders of present day China to the edge of Egypt. Shapur also limited the power of priests and forced them to yield their semi-independence status in favour of central governments authority. In short, Shapur II started the Golden Era of Sasanian dynasty, an era that lasted for surprisingly long time, with inevitable lapses here and there.

Shapur II died in 379, leaving a powerful empire to his half-brother Ardeshir II (son of Vahram of Kushan) and his son Shapur III, none of which deserved their great status. Ardeshir III, and old man who was raised as “the half-brother” of the emperor failed to fill the shoes of his mighty brother, and Shapur III was too much of a melancholy character to achieve anything. Luckily for the empire, the affects of glorious reign of Shapur II provided a great pattern for the administrators of the country, and prevented the empire from falling apart. Vahram IV (388-399), although not as mellow as his father, still failed to achieve anything important in the country, but managed to keep the empire together and ready for his son, Yazdgerd I.

Yazdgerd I is often compared to Constantine the Great. Like him, he was very powerful in both his physic and his diplomacy. Much like his Roman counterpart, Yazdgerd was opportunistic. Yazdgerd, similar to Constantine, was very easy going in the matters of religion, and provided a space for the rise of religious minorities. His reign was a perfect example of a relatively peaceful era in a country ruled by a wise king. He made lasting peace with the Romans and even took the minor Theodosius II under his guardianship. He also married a Jewish princess and had a son from her called Narsi

Yazdgerd I left the country to his son, Vahram V, without doubt, the most well-known of Sasanian kings and the hero of many myths, even after the destruction of Sasanian empire by the Arabs. Vahram V, better known as Bahram-e Goor, was a symbol of the king in the height of a golden age. He got his crown by competing with his brother, spent sometimes fighting with foreign enemies, but most of the time kept himself amused by hunting and partying with his famous band of ladies and courtiers. He was the embodiment of royal prosperity. It was during his time that best pieces of Sasanian literature were written, music were composed, and sports such as Polo became royal pastimes, continuing to this day as the royal sport of many kingdoms in the world.