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Tyrants of the Tigris & euphrates
187
Sasanian Empire
Gold Light Dinar (4.24 g, 20 mm), AD 399-420
Yazdgird (Yazdgard) I, Sasanian King, AD 399-420
Sunrise # 918 (this coin), SNS type Iia/1a, Gobl Type II/1, Saeedi AV 65. Almost Extremely
Fine.
Mint; Uncertain.
Yazdgird I was son of Bahram IV and was crowned after the assassination of his father. He is one of
the most magnanimous kings in the history of Sasanian empire. His protection and friendship with
Christians and their leaders brought him great admiration by Christians however enraged the Zoroastrian
priesthood. In the record left by the Moslem historians, he was given the title of “Bezehkaar” meaning
“Sinner” by his Zoroastrian priests due to his friendly treatment of Christians and other minorities.
Yazdgird chaired the religious council of Seleucia which was the first council of its kind to address the
Eastern branch of Christianity active through out the Near East and reestablished the seat of patriarchy
after Shapur II had abolished it due to his persecution of Christians. As a leader and King Yazdgird did
not take advantage of the weakness of the Roman Empire at the time when the Roman Empire was
engulfed in internal uprisings and external threat accross all frontiers. At this critial times, the Roman
Emperor Arcadius requested Yazdgird to provide protection for his son Theodosius II by adopting him.
Yazdgird gladly accepted and warned the Roman nobility that any danger against the young prince will
bring about a major conflict with Persia. It is unfortunate that such a magnificient chapter in Perso-Ro-
man history was ignored as well as written off as hoax by some later and biased historians. Yazdgird
I death is shrouded in mystery and legends. The traditional folk legend has it that he was killed by the
kick of a horse who came from the sea! Other stories indicate his death as a result of assassination given
his unpopularity among the priesthood. Yazdgird I is also the founder of the city of Yazd in modern
Iran which is a UNSECO World Heritage Site due to its architecture that incorporates ingenius passive
ventilation system for cooling in hot arid climate. In this exceptionally rare gold dinar Yazdgird appears
without a crown however wears a head band with a crescent moon on the front. The crescent moon and
the moon goddess has connections with the rites of Goddess Anahit.
188
Sasanian Empire
Gold Dinar (7.05g, 16 mm), AD 399-420
Yazdgird (Yazdgard) I, Sasanian King, AD 399-420
Sunrise # 908, SNS Type Ia1/1a Var, Gobl Type I/1, Loginov and Nikitin # 3. Very Fine.
Mint: Marv (also written as Merv).
This exceptionally rare gold dinar of Yazdgird I incorporates the traditional canons of the Sasanian sys-
tem of coinage. On the reverse of Yazdgird’s coins, various symbols, writtings and mint abbreviations
are found. On this coin there is a crescent moon to the left of the flame and another symbol which is more
than likely an abstraction of an open hand. The ‘open hand’ symbol or a hand holding a flower appear on
the copper coins and on seals from the Sasanian era.