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TYRANT COLLECTION
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181
Sasanian Empire
Gold light Dinar (4.21 g, 20 mm), AD 383-388
Shapur III, Sasanian King, AD 383-388
Sunrise # 874, SNS type II/1b, Gobl Type II/6a, Saeedi Av 59. Mint State.
Mint: Kabul.
Shapur III was son of Shapur II (the Great) and came to the throne after his uncle Ardashir II was
removed from power by the nobles and priesthood. Shapur III concluded the peace negotiations that
Ardashir II had begun. In the peace treaty that lasted nearly four decades, Persia and Rome divided
Armenia into two separated kingdoms, one allied to Rome and the other larger kingdom to Persia,
which eventually became known as Persarmenia. Shapur III was assassinated by the nobles on one of
his hunting excursions after a reign of five years. According to historians, he was not a flamboyant ruler
and governed justly. Unfortunately, the very long reign of his father Shapur II (70 years) and the growth
of the power of the nobles who were accustomed to the status quo did not allow him or his successors
to make substantive changes. If they did, they were removed from power or killed. This exceedingly
rare gold dinar of Shapur III shows him without the imperial crown. He typically appears in one of two
crowns on his silver and gold coins. The reverse depicts a fire altar flanked by two attendants.
182
Sasanian Empire
Gold Dinar (7.24 g, 18.5 mm), AD 383-388
Shapur III, Sasanian King, AD 383-388
Sunrise # 878, SNS Type III. Choice Very Fine.
Mint: Sind (Mehran). Currently south east region of Pakistan neighboring India.
This extremely rare gold dinar shows Shapur III with one of the two crowns depicted on his coins.