Shapur (Frataraka)

Shapur
𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩
Relief of Shapur in Tachara, Persepolis.
Frataraka of Pars
Reign 222
Predecessor Papak
Successor Ardashir I (new dynasty)
Died ca. 222
Darabgerd
Issue Narseh
House House of Sasan
Father Papak
Religion Zoroastrianism

Shapur (Middle Persian: 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩‎) was a Persian prince, who ruled as the last Frataraka dynast in Pars briefly in ca. 222.

Biography

Shapur was the eldest son of Papak, a local ruler of a district named Khir in southern Istakhr. Papak was a vassal of Gochihr, the overlord of Pars, who was himself the vassal of the Parthian king Artabanus V (r 208–224). According to Arabic-Persian sources, Shapur's brother, Ardashir I started an uprising when he was the commander of Fort Darabgerd in eastern Pars. According to the medieval historian, al-Tabari, Ardashir then asked Papak to stand against Gochihr and start a rebellion. Papak did it and rebelled against Gochihr and killed him.[1] However, Daryaee believes that Papak dreamed of conquering Istakhr himself and was eventually able to achieve it by the help of Shapur; that means in contrast to al-Tabari's report, it was not Ardashir's request and order that caused Papak's rebellion against Gochihr, governor of Istakhr, and it can be implied from the common coins of Papak and Shapur.[2] Later, Papak wrote a letter to Artabanus and requested permission to appoint Shapur instead of the "overthrown" Gochihr in power; in response, Artabanus announced Papak and Ardashir outlaws.[3]

Although Artabanus had defeated the Romans, he faced the problem of the defiance of Vologases VI, who had minted coins in his own name between 221 and 222; and this shows that no powerful emperor controlled the Parthian Empire then. During the time that Artabanus was dealing with a more important challenge, and thus he could not pay much attention to the rise of a newcomer in Pars.[4] After a while, Papak died in ca. 222 and Shapur ascended to the throne; afterward, the contest and fight started between the two brothers (Shapur and Ardashir), but Shapur died in an accidental way. According to sources, Shapur stopped at a ruin while assaulting Darabgerd and a stone suddenly separated from the ceiling and hit his head and Shapur succumbed immediately. After the incident, the brothers relinquished the Persian throne and crown to Ardashir, who became the Persian Shah thereafter.[5] Ardashir and his followers could be considered the main suspects of Shapur's mysterious death, since they "benefitted from the accidental death"; but the accusation is not provable.[6] A nephew of Ardashir, Narseh, whose name is mentioned in the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht, was most likely the son of Shapur.

References

  1. ↑ Wiesehöfer. "ARDAŠĪR I i. History". In Encyclopædia Iranica.
  2. ↑ Daryaee. ARDAXŠĪR AND THE SASANIAN'S RISE TO POWER.
  3. ↑ Christensen. Persia During the Sasanians.
  4. ↑ Daryaee. The Political History of Ērānšahr.
  5. ↑ Frye. Political Persian History During the Sasanians.
  6. ↑ Daryaee. SASANIAN PERSIA: THE RISE AND FALL OF AN EMPIRE.

Sources

  • B. A. Litvinsky, Ahmad Hasan Dani (1996). History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The crossroads of civilizations, A.D. 250 to 750. UNESCO. pp. 1–569. ISBN 9789231032110.
  • Al-Tabari, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir (1985–2007). Ehsan Yar-Shater, ed. The History of Al-Ṭabarī. 40 vols. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
  • Miri, Negin (2009). Historical Geography of Fars during the Sasanian Period (PDF). Sasanika. University of Sydney. pp. 1–65.
  • Greatrex, Geoffrey; Lieu, Samuel N. C. (2002). The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars (Part II, 363–630 AD). New York and London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-14687-9.
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