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Ancient Iran Profile picture
@PersiaAntiqua
Mar 12, 2023 • 27 tweets • 16 min read • Read on X
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Shapur II, the Great (𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩; شاپور دوم), tenth Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran

Longest-reigning monarch in Iranian history (309–379 CE). One of longest reigning monarchs in world history

Known illustrations of Shapur II: bulla/sealing

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Details of published sealing

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2) Bishapur Relief

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3) Naghshe Rostam, Damaged Relief

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4) Taqe Bostan, Likely Shapur II

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5) Taqe Bostan, Shapur II on right

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6) Bas-relief in Haft-Tanan Museum of Shiraz

Shapur II (or Shapur I), see: researchgate.net/publication/36…

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7) (Possible) excavated bust, Kish, Iraq

see: …lections-anthropology.fieldmuseum.org/catalogue/1390…

@rasoulipour : maybe some of these excavated pieces can be used in a future recreation :)

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8) Medium-sized bust, Hajiabad excavations

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9) Large size bust, Hajiabad

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10) Excavated/ found plate of Shapur II, now @hermitage_eng , from Turushev

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11) Excavated, found plate of Shapur II, now @hermitage_eng , from Pereshchepina

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12) Detail of plate excavated @ Mes Aynak, Afghanistan

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13) Some gold coins of Shapur II

1-2: @britishmuseum , 1: Merv
3-4: also MRWY

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14) Other examples of coins of Shapur II, among many others

1: Begram, @britishmuseum

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15) Gold coins of Shapur II @ Saeedi Collection

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16) Plate @britishmuseum

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17) Plate @ Sackler, U.S.

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18) Plate @ al Thani Collection, possible forgery

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19) Plate from northern Iran

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20) Bust @metmuseum

see: metmuseum.org/art/collection…

Also see this link for more info on plate @ Russia: depts.washington.edu/silkroad/museu…

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21) Likely fake seal, @ Oliver Hoare

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22) Possible fake plate

see: hermann-historica.de/en/auctions/lo…

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23) Modern forgery, @LACMA

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24) Likely forgery, could be Shapur I and misidentified in any event

see: phoenixancientart.com/work-of-art/sa…

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25) Two likely fake, and/or misidentified pieces

I do not have any source which shows Shapur II had a crescent in his crown. If not fakes, these are likely misidentified

see: maynardsfineart.com/auction-lot/a-…

nationalgeographic.com/history/histor…

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Modern Recreations by @rasoulipour

eranshahr.com/shahs/shapur-ii

Photo 1 is likely not correct for crown of Shapur II based on excavated examples & coins

In any event, we have a large number of Excavated, reliable depictions of Shapur II, the great #Sasanian king of Iran. ImageImage

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More from @PersiaAntiqua

Ancient Iran Profile picture
Sep 15
Origin of the Sasanians?

Please forgive me, but I'm getting excited here... I may have connected some dots that were left unconnected before... Image
1: In "Ardashir and the Sasanians' Rise to Power" by Dr. @tourajdaryaee & "ReOrienting the Sasanians" by Dr. @sasanianshah I did not see these connections.

2: For some reason various sources note the name of a "Indo-Parthian" ruler as "Sasan", for example ...
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in "Problems of Chronology in Gandhāran Art":

and "The interrelation between Indo-Parthian and Kushan chronology", 1992. This second article seems to provide some clues:

3: if the chronology @ Taxila is accepted, we in fact have an interesting... cvaonline.org/PublicFiles/me…

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Read 9 tweets
Ancient Iran Profile picture
Sep 14
Detailed Study: Let's talk about this important motif & standard in ancient Iran 🧵⤵️ Image
Here's the deal: 1: various Iranian groups, like others in Eurasia, used various standards or banners in war

2: like others in Eurasia, Indo-European or not, Iranians valued various types of crosses for thousands of years, including the "swastika" ... 4000-3500 BCE, Susa, Louvre
3: In ancient Iran, various clans, parts of the army etc. had their own standards & symbols. But we can perhaps say 3 stand out:

1: largely in Achaemenid period; 2: with a long history
3: dragon standard: largely among eastern-northern Iranians (Sarmatians, Parthians, etc.) ...

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Read 35 tweets
Ancient Iran Profile picture
Mar 30
Rhytons are rather rare in Sasanian Iran. But one known shape shared with others in Central Asia as well is the compact horn & gazelle's head protome

This one only entered the Smithsonian in the 80s, though it was known since the 60s ... ⤵️ https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_S1987.33/
Based on the analysis in "Ancient Iranian metalwork in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art" it's likely early Sasanian

In any event, similar ones were used for centuries in West & Central Asia

Partho-Sasanian rhyton, excavated @ Babylon ... Image
Rhyton in private collection, Russia ... Image
Read 7 tweets
Ancient Iran Profile picture
Jan 7
Achaemenid amphora & amphora-rhytons

Depiction: Armenian delegation, Persepolis

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Other depictions @ Persepolis:

1: Armenian
2: Lydian
4: Medes


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Amphora with griffin handles, Karaburun ...
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Read 15 tweets
Ancient Iran Profile picture
Sep 13, 2023
Some additional notes on Sasanian instruments, from the MP text Khosrow and Ridak:

A) This instrument is the barbat (with later changes called oud (photo 3)), not "win"/ ون, I made detailed notes on it in multiple threads



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B) Some sources note "win" and "win-kenār" are types of harp, e.g.,

بررسی ابزار موسیقی دوره ی ساسانی بر پایه ی متن پهلوی خسرو قبادان و ریدگ

Although some sources note these could be instruments from India

Azarnouche translates the first 3 to French as... Image
"Le joueur de (petite) harpe, le joueur de harpe (droite?), le joueur de lyre"

C) An interesting consideration is this: could we use the maxim of interpretation/ construction Noscitur a Sociis: “know a thing by its associates”?

It would make sense for tambur and barbat Image
Read 7 tweets
Ancient Iran Profile picture
Jun 18, 2023
Achaemenid Royal Audience Scene, inside shield of Persian soldier on so-called 'Alexander Sarcophagus'

4th C BCE, from Sidon, @ Istanbul Archaeology Museums, Photos: Fluorescent UV & Reconstruction

⤵️ Imagehttps://www.metmuseum.org/a...
An older drawing without some of the details (1);

There are parallels, precedents to #Achaemenid royal scenes in Assyrian, Elamite, other Near Eastern art. Drawing in photo 2 for example is likely of an older, Elamite seal which continued to be used in Achaemenid court

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We see examples of this royal audience scene @ Persepolis, here reconstructed from the fuller image @ Apadana, and another modern recreation @ Zinat al-Molk House

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Read 9 tweets

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