HIST-102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 40: Sasanian Empire, Khosrow Ii, True Cross
13 Oct 2020
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• Heraclius.
Until the mid 7th century, the Sasanid dynasty of Persia provided the counterbalance to Rome.
Sasanid Zoroastrianism also served as a cultural force counterbalancing and influencing
Christianity's development.
by the end of the 7th century, the Islamic world had expanded to include the old Sasanid
territories.
This brought the early caliphs into potential conflict with Roman claims to Egypt, the near east
and even Asia minor.
• Heraclius ruled as Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641.
His reign was characterized by an effort to reorganize the empire.
Justinian standardized theological orthodoxy and the legal code, Heraclius undertook wholesale
transformations.
His official interest in Christianity went further than theological debates at councils.
Under him, the Byzantine identification with Christianity as a political and even military factor
reached its highest point yet.
Rome's wars with the Sasanid Persians took on a more openly sacred cast.
It drove a wedge between Christians and Zoroastrians.
When the Sasanid shah Khosrau II took Jerusalem in the early 7th century, he found relics to
take back to Ctesiphon.
Among them was a fragment of the true cross, upon which Jesus had been crucified, although
its provenance was hazy.
In 628, Heraclius defeated the Sasanids, granting Byzantium a new hold on the near east,
though not all of Mesopotamia.
Khosrau II was killed by his own kin, leading to an outbreak of civil war in Ctesiphon and across
Persian territories.
Heraclius was able to reclaim the supposed fragments of the true cross as a sacred symbol of
his victory.
Document Summary
Until the mid 7th century, the sasanid dynasty of persia provided the counterbalance to rome. Sasanid zoroastrianism also served as a cultural force counterbalancing and influencing. Christianity"s development. by the end of the 7th century, the islamic world had expanded to include the old sasanid territories. This brought the early caliphs into potential conflict with roman claims to egypt, the near east and even asia minor: heraclius ruled as byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His reign was characterized by an effort to reorganize the empire. Justinian standardized theological orthodoxy and the legal code, heraclius undertook wholesale transformations. His official interest in christianity went further than theological debates at councils. Under him, the byzantine identification with christianity as a political and even military factor reached its highest point yet. Rome"s wars with the sasanid persians took on a more openly sacred cast. It drove a wedge between christians and zoroastrians.
