Taq-e Bostan

Little cave of Shapur III. Photo Marco Prins.

Taq-e Bostan ("the arch of the garden"): site of several Sasanian rock reliefs, on the northeastern outskirts of modern Kermanshah.

Small Cave of Shapur III

The small cave 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), the great conqueror who had defeated the Romans - a victory he had celebrated with a relief at Taq-e Bostan. 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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Shapur III		Shapur II

Literature

Louis Vanden Berghe, Reliefs rupestres de l' Iran ancien (1983 Brussels), #80.