Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

8 Julian’s Persian War 93
Fig. 12 Rock relief of Ardaˇsīr II at Taq-i Bustan
(Ghirshman, R. (1962) Iran. Parthians and Sassanians: fig. 233)
(Photo: Ph. Claude Deffarge-Rapho)
The relief represents the investiture of Ardaˇsīr II, who is depicted between
the highest Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda and the god Mithras (characteristically
crowned by the rays of the sun). 88 The power of the image
is enhanced by the figure lying at the feet of Ahura Mazda and the king,
undoubtedly representing a slain enemy. Although the armour is not recognisable,
it seems safe to identify the figure as a Roman ruler; as the relief is
close in time to the events of the year 363, it is tempting to assume that it
is the emperor Julian. 89 This, however, remains speculative. 90
Soon after the events of June 363 legends formed around the death of the
controversial emperor. 91 A plethora of ancient and medieval sources, both
pagan and Christian, describe and judge Julian in many different ways. 92
88 On the Vasanian rock reliefs and the significance of Ahura Mazda within the Zoroastrian religion
see the references on pp. 233–36 with fig. 17.
89 Ghirshman 1962: 190–1 comes to the same conclusion.
90 Azarpay 1982: 181–7; Nicholson 1983: 177–8.
91 See Brandt 1998: 180–5 on Libanius’ obituary for Julian (Or. 17).
92 For a compilation of these testimonies see Demandt 1989: 106–9.