Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 4.djvu/47

Rh which is nearly the time when the first evangelical narratives were written.

§ 11. Between Vologeses and Ardashîr, for nearly two centuries, there is a blank in the religious history of Iran. With Ardashîr, Zoroastrianism became the religion of the state. The founder of the new dynasty belonged, through his grandmother, to one of the local royal families of Persia, the Bazrangis, and through his grandfather, Sâsân, to the sacerdotal race. Sâsân had in his hands the management of the temple of Anâhita (the Iranian Artemis) at Istakhar. By birth a king and a priest, Ardashir reduced to a formula the throne-and-altar theory: 'Be aware, my son,' he wrote in his political testament, 'that religion and royalty are two brothers that cannot subsist one without the other; for royalty rests on religion and religion has royalty to protect it .' Agathias reports that Ardashir was initiated in the doctrine of the Magi and could himself celebrate their mysteries; that, from his accession to the throne, their race, formerly little honoured, got the upper hand both in public and private affairs; they became his constant counsellors, and had the management of justice in their hands. Whereas the Parthians boasted their title of Philhellenist, the Sassanian king styled himself n, 'Worshipper of Mazda.' It seemed as if Ahura Mazda had ascended the throne with him. § 12. Ardashîr had a man of the name of Tansar to help him in his work of religious restoration. He had been one of those petty local sovereigns called t- f, 'Kings of provinces,' among whom the Iranian empire was divided under the nominal suzerainty of the Parthian emperor. 'Belonging to the Platonic sect ,' he had given up his throne to his son and embraced a religious life. When Ardashir rose up against the Mulûk ut-tavâif, Tansar welcomed him as the saviour of the empire, became his missionary, preached submission to him, and sent preachers in his interest through the provinces. He had written an