his rule during his calamitous campaigns against the Hrátalah or White Huns, in which he finally lost his life.

A curious illustration of the events of the reign is also furnished by the dates on the former class of money, which, rising up to 7, appear to mark the early prosperity of his rule, while the cessation of any dates up to the 12th year is seemingly associated with the unexampled famine which so severely afflicted the land in the 7th year, and whose effects were more or less felt for seven years afterwards.5

The period of Hero-worship among the Sassanians seems to have passed away, when the sentiment of reconquest paled and the dynasty felt itself securely established in the recovered kingdom of Darius; hence we mark the disuse of bas-relief portraiture, which ceases with the representation of the figures of Sapor II. and Sapor III., at Ták-i-Bustán,6 and simultaneously unadorned mural inscriptions terminate with the epigraphs of these same monarchs at Persepolis.7 We have therefore again to seek for parallel illustrations of the coinage amid gems or other incidental memorials of royalty, whose rarity or intrinsic value may have secured their preservation even in the hands of the spoiler." Tabari, ii. 129.

De Sacy, 211; Ker Porter, ii. 188; Malcolm's Persia, i. 258; Flandin et Coste, i. Pls. 6, 13.

7 Sir William Ouseley's Travels in Persia, ii. 238, and my Sassanian Inscriptions, p. 114.

8 Ante, pp. 280–281, vol. xii.

After the battle of Kadesía, among the spoils of the capital was found "a carpet of cloth of gold, of 60 cubits square, with its pattern fashioned of jewels of the highest value." This was "cut up into small pieces, one of which, of the size only of the palm of a man's hand," was afterwards sold for 20,000 dirhams (dinárs?).-Price's Muhammedan History, i. 122—“On vint de tous côtés, de l'orient et de l'occident, de l'Égypte et du Yemen, à Médine, pour acheter les pierres précieuses."-Tabari, iii. 418, etc.

Prominent among these is the cup engraved with the hunting scene of Firoz, of which M de Longpérier gives the following description: "Cette coupe, comme le vase du président de Brosses, vient de Russie; elle a trente et un centimètres de diamètre, et pour la forme est absolument semblable au vase de verre coloré (en forme d'aiguière sans anses). Au fond se détache en relief la figure équestre d'un roi qui poursuit, de toute la vitesse de son cheval, divers animaux sauvages; devant lui fuient deux sangliers et leur marcassin, un axis, une antilope et un buffle. Deux autres sangliers, un axis, un buffle et une antilope gisent à terre percés de flèches. Le roi a le nez acquilin, l'œil très-ouvert, la barbe courte, la moustache longue et horizontale, les cheveux réunis derrière la tête en une trèspetite masse, l'oreille ornée d'un pendant à double poire; sa tête est chargée d'une couronne crénelée par derrière et sur le côté, et portant un croissant sur le devant; deux ailes que surmonte un globe posé dans un croissant forment le cimier de cette coiffure au côté droit du roi pendent un court poignard et un carquois rempli de flèches; à sa gauche, une épée. Firouz, dont la main droite est. munie du doigtier des archers, tend un grand arc de corne." -Annales de l'Institut Archéologique (1843), xv. p. 105; and Plate li. vol. iii. Monumenti inediti (Rome, 1839-1853).

HORMAZD III., A.D. 457-459 (?).

It has been apparently determined among later writers 10 to accept the attribution of the double-profile coins described below (Nos. 67, 68) to Zamasp, the immediate suc

10 Mordtmann, p. 77; Bartholomæi, in Dorn's plates, 1-15 of xviii. M. A. de Longpérier attributed these pieces to "Soufrai," Essai, p. 63; and again in Rollin's Catalogue (A.D. 1864), p. 550, to Firoz and Soufrai.

cessor of Firoz; but I trust that the new evidence I am able to adduce will satisfy Numismatists that they, in effect, constituted the temporary issues of Hormazd, the younger son of Yezdegird II., under the nominal tutelage but real domination of his paternally-nominated guardian and administrator Rám, the son of Mihrán, whose untitled name appears in subdued prominence to the left of the field. We know that Yezdegird was so anxious to secure the succession of this child, to the exclusion of his eldest son Firoz, that he appointed the latter to the distant government of Seistán, with the design of keeping him conveniently absent in anticipation of a final crisis. On the father's death we are told that Firoz, unable to make head against the Court-party, sought aid from the King

"A la mort de Yazkert II., ses deux fils, en se disputant le trône l'un à l'autre, commencèrent en Perse une guerre civile au grand préjudice de l'empire (Élisée, p. 153). Ces luttes intestines durèrent deux ans Pendant que régnaient ces troubles, 457-459, Vatché, roi des Aghouans, se révolta contre les Perses. Le précepteur de Péroz, fils cadet de Yazkert II., Raham, de la famille Méhran (Mihran), quoique les troupes de l'Iran fussent divisées en deux partis, attaqua bravement, avec une portion, le frère aîné de son élève, défit et dispersa son armée, captura Ormizd en personne et donna l'ordre de le faire mourir.

"A la mort de Yazkert ses deux fils allumèrent une guerre civile dans laquelle le plus jeune, Péroz, ayant battu l'aîné (Ormizd) resta roi." (Lazare de Pharp., p. 186.) "A la mort de Yazkert II., d'effroyables troubles bouleversèrent la Perse. Un certain Rhahat de la famille Mihra, précepteur du fils cadet de Yazkert, Peroz, fondit avec une armée considérable sur le fils atné du roi (Ormizd), le défit et le tua." (Moyse de Kaghank l.i., c.x.)

"Les écrivains orientaux, au contraire, le croient, à l'unanimité frère cadet de Peroz et le nomment Ormizd. Ils lui donnent le surnom de Pherzan." (M. Patkanian, Journ. Asiatique, 1866, p. 169.)

See also Tabari, ii. 127; Mas'audi, ii. 195; Sháh Námah (Mohl), v. 84; De Sacy (quoting Mirchond), p. 342; Malcolm's Persia,

i. 123.

of the Híátalah, by whose assistance he finally asserted his birthright:-an event the coins testify to in the double record of the third year of Hormazd's nominal reign on the one series, and the simultaneous insertion of the regnal three on the earliest indubitable money of Firoz.12

Nos. 67, 68. Pl. v. figs. 12-13.

(Longpérier, Pl. ix. fig. 4; Mordtmann, viii. 22; Dorn, xviii. 1-15.)

Obv.-Full-sized profile to the left, with a crenelated crown similar to that of Yezdegird II., but an additional demi-lune fills in the centre aperture: triple pearl drop earrings, like those worn by Firoz (Pl. v. figs. 8-10). To the right, the effigy of a youth, with a crown identical with that of Yezdegird, holding the Sassanian diadem with its broad flowing ends.

Legend.— Behind the head of the chief figure) = p, Rám.

Rev. The usual device of the altar and its supporters, similar in its details to the ordinary design of

Firoz's reverses.

Legend No. 12. ~~)~=li‍i=3. Mint 293 As.

The dates I am able to quote consist of the following

and the three, as above, in ;2 = ترین مادر ;1 = اينكي سدرود

Mr. Stewart's example.

12 Bartholomæi Collection, Pl. xiv. figs. 1, 2. Since my last paper appeared in the Numismatic Chronicle, the engraved Plates (32 in number) of the contents of M. de Bartholomæi's Sassanian Cabinet have been published by Dr. Dorn, of St. Petersburg (1873), accompanied by a limited introduction, but without any descriptive letter-press. I mention this prominently, as the fact of the historical data of this unusually ample collection having now become public property, absolves me from any reserve I pre

VoLOGESES, Βάλας, Βλάσης, Οὐάλευς, Valens; in Armenian, Vagharsch; Arabic,. A.D. 486-490.

No. 69. Pl. vi. figs. 1, 2. (Longpérier, ix. 5.; Mordt., viii. 20; Dorn, Pl. xvi. 1–15.)

Obv.-Head of king with crenelated tiara, globe, etc. The bust is marked by the exceptional peculiarity of flames issuing from the left shoulder: an adjunct in frequent use among the Mithraic Indo-Scythians. Legend (restored from new specimens)

ندوود داوود هركدي ولكاشي

Hur Kadi Valakáshi.

Rev.-Fire-altar with the king's head in the capital of the structure, as in the coins of Varahrán V., with the star and crescent introduced by Firoz. The legend to the left ordinarily consists of the name of Valakáshi. No dates whatever. To

دا وسدد

the right mint initials as subjoined—

viously felt in quoting specimens from the illustrative plates, up to that time, merely circulated with a view to the sale of the coins themselves.

13 The numbers refer to the more ample list of Firoz's Mints, p. 223.