Persian Kings

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This book is meant to convey the beauty and importance of ancient Iranian coinage from the Achaemenid period, when the first coins were struck during the rule of Darius the Great in the early sixth century BCE, to the end of the Sasanian period, when Yazdgerd III lost his life in northeastern Iran in the seventh century CE. Hence, the articles and coins cover more than a millennium of history, art and ideology in this wonderfully designed book. In his essay, Pierre Briant explores the theme of Achaemenid kingship and ideology, where the king stood close to the gods and its people held his throne of kingship. In my chapter, I discuss the importance of coinage for understanding the Sasanian notion of kingship, based on the symbols and legends depicted on coins. By looking at the developments and changes of Sasanian coinage, one is able to understand the ideological shifts and political aspirations of the king of kings in late antiquity. Jennifer Rose explores symbols associated with the Zoroastrian religion on ancient Iranian coins throughout the millennia. She discusses the motifs and themes related to the Iranian tradition from the Achaemenid to the Seleucid, Parthian, Kushan and the Sasanian Empires. Antonio Panaino discusses the idea of kingship as reflected on the coinage and textual material in the Achaemenid and the Sasanian periods. He makes a distinction between the divine and sacral notions of kingship, and the idea of the king's xwarrah or Royal Glory, who was the representative of Ohrmazd on earth.