Editing Shapur III (section)

== Reign ==
[[Image:Roman-Persian Frontier in Late Antiquity.svg|thumb|Map of the Roman-Iranian frontier|280px]]
[[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]] had been constantly the source of war between the Roman and Sasanian Empires. In 378/9, Shapur II had achieved Iranian hegemony over the country after its regent [[Manuel Mamikonian]] submitted to him. A force 10,000 of Iranian soldiers led by general [[Surena (4th century)|Surena]] were dispatched to Armenia.{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}}{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=185}} Surena was given the title of ''[[marzban]]'' ([[margrave]]), which indicates that Armenia was now a Sasanian province.{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} Under Ardashir II, however, Manuel rebelled and succeeded in maintaining independence against both the Iranians and Romans in the early 380s.{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=185 (see also note 172)}} However, just before his death in 385/386,{{sfn|Toumanoff|1961|p=5}} he seemingly placed Armenia under Roman protection.{{sfn|Blockley|1987|p=229}} With his death, many Armenian ''[[nakharar]]s'' (grandees) revolted against the [[Arsacid dynasty of Armenia|Arsacid]] king [[Arshak III]] ({{reign|378|387}}) and appealed to Shapur III for another king. Shapur III responded by crowning [[Khosrov IV of Armenia|Khosrov IV]] as king, and gave him his sister [[Zurvandukht]] in marriage.<ref>Faustus of Byzantium, History of the Armenians, Book 6, Chapter 1</ref> He then sent an invasion force into Armenia, which occupied most of the country. Arshak III was forced to withdraw to the western region of [[Acilisene]], where he awaited Roman reinforcements.{{sfn|Toumanoff|1961|p=5}}{{sfn|Blockley|1987|p=229}}

Instead of declaring war, Iran and Rome agreed to come to terms through diplomacy.{{sfn|Kia|2016|p=278}}{{sfn|Blockley|1987|p=229}} An [[Peace of Acilisene|agreement]] was made to partition Armenia.{{sfn|Kia|2016|p=278}}{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} The boundary stretched through [[Erzurum|Theodosiopolis]] in the north and [[Amida (Mesopotamia)|Amida]] in the south, which meant that most of Armenia remained in Sasanian [[Sasanian Armenia|hands]],{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} including the two Arsacid capitals of [[Artaxata]] and [[Dvin (ancient city)|Dvin]].{{sfn|Hovannisian|1997|p=92}} With this treaty, the Romans also fully acknowledged Iranian hegemony over all of [[Sasanian Iberia|Iberia]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|1963|pp=360–361}}{{sfn|Suny|1994|p=22}}{{sfn|Howard-Johnston|2006|p=27}} When this treaty exactly took place is unsure; most scholars believe the treaty was made in 387, whilst a few others state 384 or even in 389 or 390.{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} Both sides were to cooperate in the defense of the [[Caucasus]], with the Romans agreeing to pay the Iranians roughly 500&nbsp;lbs (226&nbsp;kg) of gold at irregular intervals.{{sfn|Shayegan|2013|p=809}}{{sfn|Payne|2015|pp=297–298}} While the Romans saw this payment as political allocations, the Iranians saw it as tribute.{{sfn|Payne|2015|p=298}}

In order to further reduce the political and economic power of Iranian Armenia, Shapur III deprived the country of several of its provinces;{{sfn|Bournoutian|2002|p=53}} [[Artsakh (historic province)|Artsakh]], [[Utik]], Shakashen, [[Gardman]] and Kolt were given to [[Caucasian Albania]] (ruled by a [[Arsacid dynasty of Caucasian Albania|collateral line]] of the Arsacids);{{sfn|Hewsen|2001|pp=40, 75}} [[Gugark]] (ruled by the [[Mihranids of Gugark|Mihranids]]) became subject to Iberia;{{sfn|Rapp|2014|p=66}}{{sfn|Toumanoff|1961|p=38}} and [[Arzanene]] (ruled by a ''[[bidaxsh]]'', i.e. margrave), [[Paytakaran]], Korjayk ([[Corduene]]) and [[Parskahayk]] were incorporated into Iran.{{sfn|Hovannisian|1997|p=92}}{{sfn|Bournoutian|2002|p=53}}{{sfn|Toumanoff|1961|p=31}} Arshak III soon died, which made the Romans abolish their branch of the Arsacid monarchy and create the province of [[Byzantine Armenia|Western Armenia]].{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=185}}{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} As a result many of the ''nakharars'' who had followed him subsequently rejoined the Iranians.{{sfn|Hovannisian|1997|p=92}} The Arsacid monarchy in Iranian Armenia continued to last for a few decades, until its abolishment by king [[Bahram V]] ({{reign|420|438}}) in 428.{{sfn|Lenski|2002|p=185}}{{sfn|Chaumont|1986|pp=418–438}} Shapur III's religious tolerance towards the Christians is reported by the historians [[Elishe]] and [[John of Ephesus]]. According to the former, Shapur III granted the Armenians lavish gifts and exempted their Church from royal taxation.{{sfn|McDonough|2006|p=252}}

Besides the dispute over Armenia, Shapur III seems to have clashed with the [[Alchon Huns]] to the east; coinage indicates that the Alchon Huns seized [[Kabul]] from him sometime before 388. They duplicated the same coin mints issued by Shapur III, with the only difference being the newly added [[Bactrian language|Bactrian]] inscription "αλχοννο" (''alxanno''), added to display their takeover of Sasanian territory.{{sfn|Payne|2016|p=11}} The loss of the city was a major blow, as it had been a center of coin manufacture since the 360s.{{sfn|Payne|2016|p=11}}

Shapur III died in 388, after reigning for five years. He died when some nobles cut the ropes of a large tent that he had erected in one of his palace courts, so that the tent fell on top of him.{{sfn|Pourshariati|2008|p=58}} He was succeeded by his son [[Bahram IV]].{{sfn|Klíma|1988|pp=514–522}} Another of his sons, [[Yazdegerd I]], later succeeded Bahram IV in 399.{{sfn|Shahbazi|2005}}