Shapur I facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Shapur I 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐩠
King of Kings of Iran and non-Iran
Reconstruction of the Colossal Statue of Shapur I by George Rawlinson, 1876
Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire
Reign	12 April 240 – May 270
Predecessor	Ardashir I
Successor	Hormizd I

Died	May 270 Bishapur
Consort	Khwarranzem al-Nadirah (?)
Issue	Bahram I Shapur Mishanshah Hormizd I Narseh Shapurdukhtak (?) Adur-Anahid
House	House of Sasan
Father	Ardashir I
Mother	Murrod or Denag
Religion	Zoroastrianism

Shapur I was the second powerful Sasanian King of Kings of Iran. He ruled from about 240 to 270 CE. For the first two years, he ruled alongside his father, Ardashir I. Shapur helped his father conquer the city of Hatra. He also made his father's empire bigger and stronger.

Shapur fought many wars against the Roman Empire. He captured Roman cities like Nisibis and Carrhae. Even though he lost a battle in 243, he won a big victory the next year. He forced the Roman Emperor Philip the Arab to sign a peace treaty. The Romans thought this treaty was very unfair.

Later, Shapur attacked the Roman Empire again. He took cities like Antioch and Dura-Europos. In 260, he defeated and captured the Roman Emperor Valerian. Shapur didn't want to keep Roman lands forever. Instead, he took a lot of treasure and brought many Roman people back to Iran. These captives helped build new cities, like Gundeshapur. This city later became famous for learning. Shapur died in May 270 CE.

Shapur was the first Iranian king to call himself "King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians." This new title showed that his empire now included people from outside Iran. He also built new Zoroastrian fire temples. He helped rebuild and create many cities across his empire.

What's in a Name?
Shapur's Family and Early Life
- Shapur Helps His Father
Shapur's Military Campaigns
Shapur's Rule and Legacy
Images for kids
See also

What's in a Name?

The name "Shapur" was very common in Sasanian Iran. Three Sasanian kings used this name. It comes from an old Iranian phrase meaning "son of a king." Over time, this title became a personal name. You can find "Shapur" written in different ways in other languages. For example, in Greek it's Sapur and in Latin it's Sapores.

Shapur's Family and Early Life

Shapur I was the son of Ardashir I, the first Sasanian King of Kings. His mother was named Murrod or Denag. The Sasanian family came from a region called Pars in southwestern Iran. This area was also the home of the first great Iranian Empire, the Achaemenid Empire.

Before the Sasanians, Pars was ruled by local leaders. These leaders eventually became kings under the Parthian Empire. However, the Parthian Empire became weak due to wars and internal problems. This allowed Ardashir I and his Sasanian family to become very powerful in Pars. They started conquering nearby lands.

Shapur Helps His Father

Shapur played a big part in his father's wars. This included the important Battle of Hormozdgan in 224 CE. In this battle, Ardashir I defeated and killed the last Parthian king, Artabanus IV. This victory ended the Parthian Empire and started the Sasanian rule that lasted for 427 years.

A rock carving at Firuzabad shows this victory. It shows Shapur riding a horse and defeating an enemy. Ardashir I thought Shapur was the "gentlest, wisest, bravest, and most able" of his children. So, he chose Shapur to be his successor.

Shapur's Military Campaigns

Shapur was a very successful military leader. He expanded the Sasanian Empire and fought against the powerful Roman Empire.

Wars in the East

After his father died, Shapur had to deal with problems in the eastern parts of his empire. These areas bordered the lands of the Kushans and Sakas. Shapur marched east and took control of most of the Kushan lands. He made his son Narseh the king of the Sakas in Sistan. Shapur also conquered Khwarezm.

Shapur was proud that his empire now reached as far as Peshawar. He even settled Roman prisoners of war in these eastern territories to help guard them.

Fighting the Romans

Shapur's father had already started a war with the Roman Empire. Shapur continued this war, capturing important Roman forts like Nisibis and Carrhae. He even moved into Syria.

In 242 CE, the Romans, led by Emperor Gordian III, launched a huge attack. They recaptured Carrhae and Nisibis. But Shapur returned from the East and fought back. The Roman emperor Gordian III was killed in battle or murdered by his own people. The Romans then chose Philip the Arab as their new emperor.

Philip wanted to go back to Rome quickly. So, he made a peace treaty with Shapur in 244 CE. Philip agreed that Armenia would be under Persian influence. He also had to pay a huge amount of gold to the Persians. The Romans were very unhappy about this treaty.

Capturing a Roman Emperor

Shapur invaded Roman lands again around 250 CE. He destroyed a large Roman army at the Battle of Barbalissos. He then burned and raided the Roman province of Syria.

Shapur also took control of Armenia and Georgia. This helped secure the northern borders of his empire.

During his invasion of Syria, Shapur captured important cities like Antioch. The Roman Emperor Valerian marched against him. In 260 CE, Shapur defeated Valerian's army at the Battle of Edessa. Emperor Valerian himself was captured by Shapur. This was a huge victory for the Sasanians. Shapur then captured the city of Caesarea. He sent 400,000 of its citizens to live in the southern Sasanian provinces.

A famous rock carving at Naqsh-e Rostam shows Shapur on horseback. A Roman man, likely Emperor Valerian, is kneeling before him, asking for mercy. Christian stories say Shapur used Valerian as a footstool. However, the Persians usually treated prisoners of war honorably. They often used skilled captives to build things. For example, Roman soldiers captured after Valerian's defeat helped build a dam and bridge in Bishapur.

Shapur's Rule and Legacy

Shapur was known for his good relationships with different groups of people. He had a friendly connection with the Jewish community. The Talmud, a Jewish text, mentions him as Shabur Malka, meaning "King Shapur."

Using Roman Prisoners

Shapur's wars brought a lot of wealth to Iran. He also moved many Romans from the cities he conquered to Sasanian provinces. These skilled workers helped boost Iran's trade and economy. They built new cities and important structures.

How Shapur Governed

Shapur's empire was much larger than his father's. He appointed many governors and vassal-kings to rule different regions. Many of his own sons and relatives became governors of Sasanian provinces. For example, his son Bahram I governed Gilan, and Hormizd I governed Armenia.

Shapur also had many important officials helping him run the empire. These included the commander of the royal guard, the chief of the cavalry, and the director of the clergy.

The Sasanian Army

Under Shapur, the Iranian army became very strong again. The army was similar to the earlier Parthian army. Many Parthian nobles who served the old Arsacid kings now served the Sasanians. The Sasanian army used many heavily armored cavalry called cataphracts.

Even though Iran had a smaller population than the Roman Empire, its society was very focused on warriors. The powerful Parthian noble families were the backbone of the Sasanian army. They fought for the Sasanian king for personal gain and loyalty. Shapur also used war elephants in battle. He used them to destroy the city of Hatra.

Great Buildings and Cities

Shapur I created many impressive buildings and rock carvings. A carving at Naqsh-e Rajab shows Shapur I calling himself "the Mazda-worshipping, the divine Shapur, King of Kings of the Iranians, and non-Iranians." This shows his claim to rule over a vast area.

He built the important city of Academy of Gundishapur near the old Achaemenid capital of Susa. He also built a dam and irrigation system there, which helped the land grow more food. Roman prisoners helped build this system. The dam is still called Band-e Kaisar, meaning "the mole of the Caesar." Shapur also built the city of Bishapur using the labor of Roman soldiers captured after Valerian's defeat.

Religious Beliefs

Shapur was a follower of Zoroastrianism, the main religion of Iran at the time. He called himself "Mazda-worshipping," which means he worshipped Ahura Mazda, the supreme god in Zoroastrianism. He believed it was his duty to build fire temples and support the Zoroastrian priests.

During Shapur's reign, a new religion called Manichaeism became popular. Its founder, Mani, was treated well by Shapur. Mani even wrote a book for Shapur called the Shabuhragan. However, Shapur remained a Zoroastrian and did not convert to Manichaeism.

Images for kids

1840 illustration of a Sasanian relief at Firuzabad, showing Ardashir I's victory over Artabanus IV and his forces.
Map showing the Roman-Sasanian borders after the peace treaty in 244
Rock-face relief at Naqsh-e Rostam of Shapur (on horseback) with Philip the Arab and Emperor Valerian
The Humiliation of Emperor Valerian by Shapur I, pen and ink, Hans Holbein the Younger, ca. 1521. At the time it was made, the above rock-face relief was unknown in the west.
Relief showing Shapur I on horseback, followed by his sons and nobles
Shapur I in the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp
Picture of the ruined palace of Shapur I at Bishapur
Gold dinar of Shapur I, Ctesiphon
Drachma of Shapur wearing an eagle-headed crown