| Hormizd I 𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣 | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians | |
 Drachma of Hormizd I | |
| King of Armenia | |
| Reign | c. 252 – 270 |
| Predecessor | Tiridates II(Arsacid dynasty) |
| Successor | Narseh |
| Shahanshah of theSasanian Empire | |
| Reign | May 270 – June 271 |
| Predecessor | Shapur I |
| Successor | Bahram I |
| Died | June 271 |
| Issue | Hormozdak |
| House | House of Sasan |
| Father | Shapur I |
| Mother | unnamed daughter ofMihrak |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
Hormizd-Ardashir, better known by his dynastic name ofHormizd I (also spelledHormozd I orOhrmazd I;Middle Persian:𐭠𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭬𐭦𐭣), was the thirdSasanianKing of Kings (shahanshah) ofIran, who ruled from May 270 to June 271. He was the third-born son ofShapur I (r. 240–270), under whom he was governor-king ofArmenia, and also took part in his father's wars against theRoman Empire. Hormizd I's brief time as ruler of Iran was largely uneventful. He built the city of Hormizd-Ardashir (present-dayAhvaz), which remains a major city today in Iran. He promoted theZoroastrian priestKartir to the rank of chief priest (mowbed) and gave theManichaean prophetMani permission to continue his preaching.
It was under Hormizd I that the title of "King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran" became regularized inSasanian coinage; previously, the royal titulary had generally been "King of Kings of Iran". Hormizd I was succeeded by his eldest brotherBahram I.
The name of Hormizd (also spelledŌhrmazd,Hormozd) is theMiddle Persian version of the name of the supreme deity inZoroastrianism, known inAvestan asAhura Mazda.[1] TheOld Persian equivalent isAuramazdā, whilst theGreek transliteration isHormisdas.[1][2] The name is attested inArmenian asOrmizd and inGeorgian asUrmizd.[3][4] His personal name was "Hormizd-Ardashir", a combination of "Hormizd" and "Ardashir", the latter being the Middle Persian form of the Old PersianṚtaxšira (also spelledArtaxšaçā), meaning "whose reign is through truth (asha)".[5][6]
Hormizd was the third-born son ofShapur I (r. 240–270).[7] According to folklore, Hormizd's mother was a daughter of theParthian dynastMihrak.[8] His two elder brothers wereBahram (the eldest) andShapur Meshanshah, whilstNarseh was his younger brother.[7] Hormizd had two sisters namedAdur-Anahid andShapurdukhtak.[9][10] His grandfather wasArdashir I, the founder of the Sasanian Empire.[11] The Sasanians had supplanted theArsacid Empire as the sovereigns of Iran in 224, when Ardashir I defeated and killed the last ArsacidKing of KingsArtabanus IV (r. 213–224) at theBattle of Hormozdgan.[11]
Hormizd is first mentioned during the wars of Shapur I against theRoman Empire.[1] He was made the king ofArmenia after its conquest by Shapur I in 252.[1] Hormizd is believed to be many modern historians to have taken part in Shapur I's second Roman expedition, which took place in the Roman provinces ofSyria,Cilicia, andCappadocia, and which lasted from 253 to 256.[1] This is supported by the reports of the Cappadocian conquests.[1] Cappadocia does not appear to have been the only area that Hormizd fought in: according to theScriptores Historiae Augustae, the Roman rebelCyriades assisted Shapur I and a certain Odomastes in the conquest ofAntioch.[1] The nameOdomastes is an incorrect transliteration of Hormizd, and may thus suggest that after plundering Cappadocia, Hormizd took part in thesiege of Antioch in 253.[1]
Hormizd is mentioned in aninscription on the wall of theKa'ba-ye Zartosht atNaqsh-e Rostam nearPersepolis in southern Iran, which Shapur I had created in order to praise his sons by citing their names and titles.[12][1] In the inscription, Hormizd is given the title ofWuzurg Šāh Arminān ("Great King of the Armenians").[1][13] The 4th-century Armenian historianAgathangelos states that this title was only given to the heir of theshahanshah.[13]
When Shapur I was on his deathbed, he crowned Hormizd as the newshahanshah of Iran, in May 270.[14][11]
Little is known of Hormizd's reign.[1] He reportedly gave the Zoroastrian priestKartir clothes that were worn by the upper class, the cap and belt (kulāf ud kamarband) and appointed him as the chief priest (mowbed).[15][1] Like his father, Hormizd also granted theManichaean prophetMani permission to continue his preaching.[16] It is unclear why Hormizd supported Kartir and Mani, both of whom represented a different religion.[17] TheIranologistTouraj Daryaee has suggested that it was possibly part of his attempt to control both religions, which were both seeking to become the main religion in the empire.[17] According to the IranologistProds Oktor Skjaervo, Hormizd was like his two predecessors, a "lukewarm Zoroastrian".[18] Hormizd is usually given the epithet ofnēw oryaxī/yaxē (both meaning "brave") in ManicheanMiddle Iranian sources, possibly indicating his accomplishments in warfare.[1] It was seemingly under Hormizd that the two New Year festivals (Nowruz) in the month ofFarwardin were linked together to design a festival that lasted six days.[19] In primary sources, Hormizd is credited as the founder of the city of Hormizd-Ardashir (present-dayAhvaz), however, in some instances Ardashir I is also attributed as its founder.[1] Modern historians (citingŠahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr) usually consider Hormizd to be its actual founder.[1] He also founded the city of Ram-Hormizd-Ardashir (meaning "Ardashir's peace of Hormizd"), abbreviated asRam-Hormizd.[20] He refounded the city ofArtemita asDastagird, whose royal residence would later serve as an important place for theshahanshahsKhosrow I (r. 531–579) andKhosrow II (r. 590–628).[21][22] Hormizd was not succeeded by his son Hormozdak, but by his brother Bahram (who became known asBahram I), who ascended the throne with the aid of Kartir.[7][11] According to local folklore, Hormizd was buried in Ram-Hormizd.[21]
While Ardashir I and Shapur I generally used the title of "King of Kings of (Iran)ians" on their coinage, Hormizd had the title slightly modified, adding the phrase "and non-Iran(ians)".[23][24] His full title thus read "the Mazda-worshiping, divine Hormizd, King of Kings of Iran(ians) and non-Iran(ians), whose image/brilliance is from the gods".[23][24][a] The phrase "and non-Iran(ians)" had already been in use in the inscriptions of Shapur I,[25] and in rare cases his coin mints,[26] but was first regularized under Hormizd.[25] The extended title demonstrates the incorporation of new territory into the empire, however what was precisely seen as "non-Iran(ian)" (aneran) is not certain.[1] The reverse of Hormizd's coin portrayed two attendants, an addition that was first made by Shapur I, on whose coinage both attendants are depicted wearingmural crowns, whilst looking away from thefire temple between them.[27] They most likely represented the shah.[27] In the coinage of Hormizd, the attendants face the temple and are wearing different crowns.[27] The figure on the left side represents Hormizd, whilst the figure on the right—depending on its portrayal—represents the Iranian deitiesMithra orAnahita.[28]
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Hormizd I Died: June 271 | ||
| Preceded by | King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran 270–271 | Succeeded by |