Ardachîr Ier

Ardachîr Ier or Ardashir (or Ardéchir , Ardachêr , Ardachès , Artahshatr in old Persian, Artaxerxès or Artaxerce in Greek or Latin) was the founder of the Persian dynasty of the Sassanides which dominated the Middle East in the east of the Euphrate of the III {{E}} at the 7th century. Ardashir reigned of 224 with 241.

Ardashir, born in a village close to Istakhr (close to Persépolis, in Iran), was a son junior by Papak, kinglet of Khir, vassal of the king of Istakhr, itself vassal of the king of the Parthian kings Artaban V (dynasty of the Arsacides). Appointed governor of Darabgerd (Darab, Iran), Ardashir launches out towards 211 or 212 in a series of wars against the close kinglets which it subjects or replaces by men with him. Papak on its side revolts against its suzerain the king of Istakhr, kills it and takes the control of the kingdom. Papak dies shortly after and Ardashir is found with the head of a powerful kingdom in Perse, theoretically vassal of the king of the kings Artaban V.

Continuing the unification of the Iran (tender of Kerman and Ispahan), it founds its new royal capital with Gur (Firuzabad, Iran) and names it Ardashir-Khurreh (the glory of Ardashir): perfectly circular city 1950 m in diameter whose vestiges are always visible.

Put in residence to return in the row by the king of the kings Artaban V, he denounces his allegiance and answers by a challenge. The meeting between the two armies takes place the 22 or April 28th 224 with Hormizdaghan (in the area of Ispahan or rather in the Ahwaz, not far from Suse). Assisted by his/her oldest son Shapur (Sapor), Ardashir triumphs over the Parthes and keep silent its former suzerain Artaban. Most of the Persian aristocracy joins then with its cause.

In 226 it is made crown king of the kings with Ctésiphon, capital of the empire (Salman Pak in the south of Baghdad, Iraq), and takes then the name of Dariardashir (Darius-Ardashir) because it claims to restore the old empire of Persians Achéménides, reversed formerly by Alexandre of Macedonia. Accordingly there assert all Middle East until the Aegean Sea, which leads it to enter in direct conflict with the Roman Empire and the kingdom of Arménie of which the king Khosrow, relative of Artaban, tries to rejoin the vassal ones remained faithful to has dynasty Arsacide.

In spite of an offer of compromise proposed by the Roman Emperor Severe Alexandre, Ardashir maintains his claims and the war is inevitable. In 232 a great Roman forwarding, supported by the Arménie, penetrates in Médie (area of Hamadan, Iran) and in Mésène (southern of current the Iraq), but fails to take Ctésiphon and to reverse the new mode. The Romans withdraw themselves but Ardashir, weakened, will consequently give up officially asserting the Roman provinces of the East.

Installing the seat of its capacity with Ctésiphon, and built vis-a-vis the city close to Séleucie of the Tiger, formerly plundered by the Romans, the new city of Veh-Ardashir (the Benefit of Ardashir). It devotes the last years of its reign to deeply reform the old empire of the Arsacides, become the empire Sassanide, in the direction of a greater centralization.

In 238, undoubtedly benefitting from a civil war among Romans, Persians take again the offensive towards the west and perhaps penetrate a moment in Syria. In 240 the Arab city of Hatra in Mésopotamie (Hadr, Iraq), allied of the Romans, is taken and destroyed by his/her son and heir Shapur. It is undoubtedly on this occasion that Ardashir decides to make crown Shapur king of the kings, thus associating it with its capacity.

He dies a little later undoubtedly in 241, leaving with Shapur Ier a still unstable situation, and the prospect for a new war against the Romans.

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