The Ṭāq i Kisrā is the most famous monument of Sasanian architecture, but opinions as to its date and builder differ widely. The traditional name “Arch of Khosrau” might as well refer to the first as to the second Khosrau, and perhaps not even that, as in Arabic Kisrā is used as a general designation for the Sasanian rulers. Mohammedan writers used to regard the façade of the Ṭāq i Kisrā, as one of the wonders of the world, but the historical facts were very soon obscured by legends. Eventually no less than four Sasanian rulers were quoted as its builders: Shapur I (241–273), Shapur II (310–379), Khosrau I Anushirvan (531–579) and Khosrau II Parvez (590–628).

^{page 37 note 1} Quoted inYāqūt, i, 425, 20; translated inStreck,M.Die alte Landschaft, Babylonien nach den arabischeri Geographen,1901, ii, p.255Google Scholar.

^{page 37 note 2} The well-known translator of theKalila wa Dimna and other Persian works (eighth century).Gabrieli,F., “L'opera di Ibn al-Muqaffa,” inRivista degli studi orientali,xiii,1931–1932, p.207, n. 1Google Scholar.

^{page 37 note 3}Justi,F.,Iranisches Namenbuch,1895, p.333Google Scholar.

^{page 37 note 4}Sarre,F. andHerzfeld,E.,Archäologiscḥe Reise im Euphrat und Tigris Gebiet,1911, vol.ii, pp.60 ff.Google Scholar; vol. iii, pi. xxxix–xliv; vol. iv, pi. cxxiv–cxxvii. The same authors,Iranische Felsreliefs, 1910, p. 129.Herzfeld,E.,Archæological history of Iran,1935, p.94 f.Google Scholar

^{page 38 note 1}Sarre,F.,Die Kunst des alten Persien,1922, p.36, pl. 68, 69Google Scholar.

^{page 38 note 2}Encyclopædia of Islam,iii (1936), p.80Google Scholar.

^{page 38 note 3}Die Kunst der islamischen Völker, 1915, p. xiii.

^{page 38 note 4}Swoboda,K. M.,Römische und romanische Paläste,1924, p.180Google Scholar.

^{page 38 note 5}Der Raum, vol.i,1929, p. vi,149 ff.Google Scholar;Die Awsgrabungen der zweiten Ctesiphon-Expedition (Winter, 1931–1932),Berlin,1933, p.33Google Scholar.

^{page 38 note 6} The German excavations atCtesiphon,, inAntiquity,iii,1929, p.447Google Scholar. The same, inSurvey of Persian Art, ed.Pope,A. U. andAckerman,Ph.,1938, vol.i, p.515 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 38 note 7}Strzygowski,J. inByzantinische Zeitschrift,xx, p.276Google Scholar.Sarre-Herzfeld,,Archäolagische Reise,ii, p.48, n. 4Google Scholar.Blochet,E.,Les peintures des manuscrits orientaux de la Bibliothèque Nationale,1914–1920, p.101Google Scholar. Blochet gave the right date, but he confused the “White Palace” and the Ṭāq i Kisrā. On the “White Palace” seeLe Strange,G.,The lands of the Eastern Caliphate,1930, p.34Google Scholar.

^{page 39 note 1}Procopius,,B.P.,ii,14, 1Google Scholar: 'Aντι⋯χεια ⋯ Χοσρ⋯αυ. In Arabic: Al-Rūmiyya. For the various names seeHonigmann,E. inPauly-Wissowa R.E., Supplementbandiv, col. 1115Google Scholar, andChristensen,A.,L'lran sous les Sassanides,1936, p.381Google Scholar.

^{page 39 note 2}Procopius,,B.P.,ii,14, 2Google Scholar.

^{page 39 note 3}The Chronography of Gregory Abu'l Faraj, trad.Budge,E. A. W.,1932,i, p.74Google Scholar.Macoudi,,Les prairies d'or, ed.de Meynard,C. Barbier,1863, vol.ii, p.199Google Scholar.

^{page 40 note 1}Procopius,,B.P.,ii,14, 1Google Scholar. On the remains of the Thermae seeSchmidt,J. H.,L'expedition de Ctésiphon en 1931–1932, inSyria,xv,1934, p.1Google Scholar.

^{page 40 note 2}Streck,M.,Die alte Landschaft Babylonien,1901,ii, p.255Google Scholar.

^{page 40 note 3}The Shánáma of Firdausi. Done into English byWarner,A. G. andWarner,E., vol.viii,1923, p.400 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 40 note 4}Journal Asiatique,3, s., xiv,1842, pp.122, 141Google Scholar. Cf.Storey,C. A.,Persian Literature,1935, ii,2, p.67Google Scholar.

^{page 40 note 5}Le Strange,G.,The geographical part of the Nuzhatu-'l Qulūb,1919, p.51Google Scholar.

^{page 41 note 1}Qazwīnī, ii, 304, 11; translated byStreck,M.,Die alte Landschaft Babylonien,1901,ii, p.257Google Scholar. Qazwīnī mentions as his source Abū 'Ubāda al-Buḥturī (d. 897). A few mosaic cubes are all that survived the destruction; cf.Beuther,O. inAntiquity,iii,1929, p.443Google Scholar, andHerzfeld,Sarre,Arch. Reise,ii, p.70Google Scholar.

^{page 41 note 2}Herzfeld,E., inZDMG,lxxx,1926, p.226Google Scholar.

^{page 41 note 3}Sarre-Herzfeld,,Arch. Reise,ii, p.69, n. 3Google Scholar.Reuther,O.,Die Ausgrabungen der Deutschen Ktesiphon-Expedition im Winter 1928/29, p.22Google Scholar.