Bishapur - Relief 4
The first page of Bishapur pictures can be found here.
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Bishapur - Relief 4 |
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The first page of Bishapur pictures can be found here. |
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The fourth Sasanian rock relief at Bishapur (map) was made by king Bahram II (276-294) and shows how he receives a delegation of Arabs. The course of the old aqueduct, which has damaged three of the reliefs on this side of the river, is clearly visible. | |
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The fourth relief is very interesting because it is the only Sasanian monument that shows an embassy, which is led to the king by a Persian nobleman with a long sword (picture). The fact that it is an Arabian embassy is a testimony for the fact that this nation was becoming better organized. We know that by the time of Bahram, there were two large tribal confederations: Yaman or Kalb in the south, and Qays or Hijaz in the north. (In western sources, they are called Arabi and Saraceni.) The rise of Islam was still in the future, but the first signs of its increasing power were there. | |
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The Arabs are recognizable because they are accompanied by a dromedary. There's also a horse. | |
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Finally, a picture of king Bahram II. We do not know what subject he discussed with the Arabian embassador, nor do we know which tribe they represented. However, in the west, the Romans were stronger than they had been for a long time, and we know that the Sasanians and northern Arabs were allies. Perhaps, the men with the dromedary belonged to the Qays federation? | |
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