Sasanian Imperial Ideology: From Anāhītā Fire in Pārs to Ādur Gušnasp Fire Temple in Ādurbādagān

Abstract

The article analyzes some developments in the ideology of the early Sassanids. The author briefly overviews Ardaxīr Is rise to power, highlighting his political ambitions that formed the basis for Sasanian imperial policy and ideology. The Sasanians came to power with political ambitions to restore the Truth and Persian Glory and eliminate the remnants of Hellenism that survived the Parthian period. The author discusses political and ideological reasons, which motivated the early Sasanians to declare the fire temple of Ādur Gunasp in Ādurbādagān as the empires most sacred fire. This step and Shāpūr Is official declaration of Zoroastrianism as the state religion transformed Ādurbādagān into the empires most sacrosanct land, increasing the provinces imperial and strategic value as the centre of ideology and propaganda. Finally, it is shown that the granting cathedral rank to the Ādur Gunasp fire temple and attaching themselves to this officially proclaimed the empires most sacred victorious warriors class fire of the highest grade was a significant shift in the first Sassanids imperial ideology.