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Taq-e Bostan (2) |
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| Unless otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge Livius. | ||
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Cave 2 at Taq-e Bostan shows king Shapur III (383-388). He came to power after much struggle, and presents himself standing next to his grandfather Shapur II (309-379). He is the king standing to the right. This representation is pretty original. Usual, a king showed that he was the lawful ruler by presenting himself as receiving power from the gods. | |
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A Pahlavi inscription. | |
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This relief shows the investiture of Shapur II. This is a more common
representation of royal power: the supreme god Ahuramazda
gives the king a cydaris ring and a diadem.
The king is standing on top of a defeated enemy, who can be identified with the Roman emperor Julianus Apostata, who had been defeated by Shapur in 363. To the left, the god Mithra. |
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The same relief seen from a different angle. Some scholars have argued that the Sasanian ruler is not Shapur, but his successor Ardašir III (379-383), but this view seems to be incorrect. | |
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Mithra, standing on lotus flowers. | |
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Ahuramazda offering the cydaris ring and the diadem. He wears a diadem too. | |
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Shapur receiving power from Ahuramazda.
SatelliteA satellite photo can be found here. |
Lendering © 2005 Latest revision: 18 March 2006 |
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