THE SASSANID DOMAINS DURING THE REIGN OF SHAPUR II 309-379

According to tradition, Shapur's father died before his birth, and when he was born he was proclaimed king by the Persian nobility in preference to his brothers.  The name Shapur means "son of a king" and was common in the Sassanid period, often being given to sons other than princes.  The Sassanids themselves did not attach numerics after the name, eg Shapur II, instead family genealogy was cited.  Shapur described himself in one example as 'the Mazdah-worshipping god Shapur, king of kings of Iran and non-Iran, who is a scion of the gods, the son of Hormizd (Ormizd II), the grandson of Narses.'

Shapur inherited a state that had lost provinces to the Romans a few generations before to the west, and to the east the resurgent Kushan kingdom caused some concern.  Shapur took over control of the Sassanid kingdom at the age of 16 in the year 325, deposing those who ruled through regency.  He dealt with Kushan first, crushing it and reducing it to the status of a province, ruled by Sassanid princes from Balkh.

In 337 Shapur took two decisions; first to go to war with Rome to recover Armenia and Mesopotamia, and second to eliminate Christianity within his kingdom.  The war lasted until 350 with no clear victor.  On the religious matter, the state religion of Mazdaism (Zoroastrianism) was promoted and Christians persecuted and forcibly converted.  Between 350 and 358 peace lasted between Rome and Persia, and it can be a matter of conjecture here that Casca was present in Persia in this period.

In 358 Shapur sent a letter to the Roman emperor, Constantius, demanding he cede lands up to and including the frontier of Macedonia and the River Strymon.  Constantius refused, of course, and Sassanid forces marched into northern Mespotamia.  In 363 the new emperor Julian marched an army to the gates of Ctesiphon, creating havoc and on the banks of the Tigris met the Sassanids in battle.  Julian was mortally wounded and his hastily crowned successor, Jovian, sued for peace, ceding five provinces and agreeing to a 30-year truce.

With Rome defeated he turned on Armenia, ousting the pro-Roman ruler and attempted to force Zoroastrianism on the country.  Rome, however, regained their influence and no clear winner emerged.  From 374 a precarious balance existed in that land.  Just prior to his death, however, the use of gifts brought the Armenians over to the Sassanid side.

He left the Sassanid lands stronger than they had ever been.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

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