14 Facts About Ardashir II

Ardashir II, was the Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 379 to 383.

Ardashir II was the brother of his predecessor, Shapur II, under whom he had served as vassal king of Adiabene, where he fought alongside his brother against the Romans.

Ardashir II was appointed as his brother's successor to rule interimly till the latter's son Shapur III reached adulthood.

Ardashir II was seemingly a strong-willed character, and is known in some sources by the epithet of nihoukar.

Ardashir II was the son of shah Hormizd II, who was killed by the Iranian nobility whilst hunting.

Ardashir II was succeeded by Adur Narseh, who, after a brief reign which only lasted a few months, was killed by the nobles, who then proceeded to blind the second, and imprison the third.

Ardashir II, before becoming king of the Sasanian Empire, was vassal king of Adiabene from 344 to 376.

Ardashir II is the last figure to be recorded as king of Adiabene, which implies that the kingdom was after his tenure transformed into a province, governed by a non-royal delegate of the Sasanian shah.

Ardashir II responded by sending an army into Armenia, but Manuel defeated the invaders and killed their commander, Gumand Shapuh.

Ardashir II was deposed or killed by the nobility, due to his continuation of Shapur II's policy of restricting the authority of power-hungry nobles.

Ardashir II was seemingly a strong-willed character, and is known in some sources by the epithet of nihoukar.

The relief shows three standing figures wearing regalia; Ardashir II being in the middle, flanked by two male figures.

The figure to the right, who is giving the diadem to Ardashir II originally used to recognized as the Zoroastrian supreme god Ahura Mazda, but is agreed to be Shapur II due to the style of his crown, and which fits well due to Shapur being the one designating Ardashir II as shah to begin with.

Ardashir II is wearing a crown embellished with twelve rays of the sun, whilst holding a raised barsom, thus sanctifying the investiture.