Sale: Triton VII, Lot: 637. Estimate $2000.  Closing Date: Monday, 12 January 2004.  Sold For $4500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

SASANIAN KINGS of PERSIA. Yazdgard II. 438-457 AD. AV Reduced Dinar (4.15 gm). AW (Ahwaz) mint. Degraded Pahlavi legend, crowned and cuirassed bust right / "Yazdgard" in Pahlavi (crude), fire altar with attendants; no ribbon or legend on central column; mint signature to right. Göbl I/2 note; Paruck -; Alram 872; MACW -; De Morgan pg. 704, 167b. Good VF. [See color enlargement on plate 8] ($2000)

Ex Spink 1100 (12 October 1993), lot 447.

Yazdgard II succeeded his father, Bahram V, and, for unknown reasons, began to mobilize for war against Rome. Diplomacy resolved the tensions before a conflict erupted, though, and Yazdgard was then able to redirect his forces against a new Hephthalite threat in the northeast. Internally, he adopted a harsh pro-Zoroastrian stance, and oppressed other religions, even to the point of attempting a forced conversion of all Armenians. This act prompted a major rebellion, which was only put down after the defeat of Armenian forces at the Battle of Avarair.