#sassanids

This bronze statue stands nearly 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. The eyes are highlighted by gold and silver inlay, which gives the figure's face a strikingly intense expression.

According to this article:

A bronze statue of Mars, the Roman god of war, was found in the ancient city of Zeugma in the course of an excavation campaign in 1999-2000. The statue represents one of the most interesting and spectacular finds from this city on the banks of the Euphrates river in southern Anatolia.

The god of war is depicted with a spear in one hand and a scourge in the other, as this article describes:

The statue is of great interest on one side for its rarity, as few Roman bronzes of such size are so well preserved, and on the other for its unusual iconography, depicting the standing god as a young athlete. The right arm is raised, its hand closed around a spear that has not been found, while the left is bent at the elbow, with the hand wielding an object that appears to be a scourge with multiple and symmetrical endings.

Beneath the helmet, thick curls frame the face of the young man whose frown is marked by strongly furrowed eyebrows and a very intense gaze, highlighted by silver and gold inlays around the pupils.

It's believed that this statue was hidden in a closet when the city of Zeugma was ransacked by the Sassanids in 253-256 CE:

The small size of the space in which the artifacts were discovered and its place in the general plan of the villa suggests a closet where the precious materials were hidden to escape the pillaging of the city, carried out in 253-256 AD by the Sassanids.

Unfortunately, most of the archaeological site was flooded when the Birecik Dam was constructed back in 2000, and the ruins at Zeugma are now submerged beneath 60 meters (200 feet) of water. This statue was salvaged (along with many other artifacts) during the emergency excavations that occurred as the site was being flooded; it's currently displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Gaziantep, in southern Turkey.

Sources & More Info:

Centro di Conservazione Archeologica: Zeugma Mars Conservation Project

Journal of Roman Archaeology: The Bronze Mars of Zeugma

Packard Humanities Institute: The Rescue Excavations at Zeugma in 2000

Turkish Archaeological News: Zeugma

UNESCO: The Archaeological Site of Zeugma

Turkish Museums: Time Capsule of Ancient Roman Art: Zeugma

Archaeological Institute of America: Troubled Waters

Depictions of Shapur’s victories over Rome were put up all over the Persian empire. A number of carved rock reliefs celebrating these victories survive. Perhaps the most famous is at Bishapur in southern Iran, where Shapur built a magnificent palace. In this image, Shapur is spendidly dressed and sits on a horse. Underneath the horse is the dead Gordian III. Behind is the captive Valerian clasped by Shapur’s right hand. The figure in front is the emperor Philip I (ruled 244–249 CE) who replaced Gordian. He is begging for the release of the defeated Roman army.

The new statue recently unveiled in Tehran appears to be a partial copy of a celebratory Sasanian rock relief at Naqsh-i Rustam. The kneeling figure is reported to be Valerian. If it is indeed modelled on the Naqsh-i Rustam relief, then the kneeling figure is usually identified as Philip I (as in the original relief Valerian is standing before Shapur). Nevertheless, official statements identify the kneeling figure as Valerian.

Are Tajiks more related to Iranians/Afghanis or Kazakhs/Mongolians?

Tajiks are an ethnic group primarily found in Central Asia, particularly in modern-day Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. They speak the Tajik language, which is a dialect of Persian (Farsi) and are generally considered to be closely related to Iranians in terms of language, culture, and history.

Tajiks and Mongols are two distinct ethnic groups with different origins and histories. While there may have been some interaction and influence between the two groups over the centuries, there is no significant genetic or linguistic relationship between them.

The Tajik language is a member of the Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family, which is the same branch as Persian (Farsi). The grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of Tajik are similar to those of Persian, and the two languages are mutually intelligible to a significant extent.

Culturally, Tajiks have been heavily influenced by Persian culture over the centuries, particularly during the period of the Samanid dynasty (9th-10th centuries CE), which was based in what is now modern-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The Samanid rulers were Persian-speaking and promoted Persian culture, literature, and art in their territories, which had a lasting impact on the region.

In terms of history, the lands inhabited by Tajiks were historically part of the greater Iranian cultural and political sphere, with ties to various Persian empires and dynasties such as the Achaemenids, Parthians, Sassanids, and Safavids. The region was also influenced by Islamic culture and traditions, which further connected it to the wider Iranian world.

From the Tehran Times

“Architecture often took grandiose proportions such as palaces at Ctesiphon, Firuzabad, and Sarvestan that are amongst highlights of the ensemble.”

“Crafts such as metalwork and gem-engraving grew highly sophisticated, yet scholarship was encouraged by the state. In those years, works from both the East and West were translated into Pahlavi, the language of the Sassanians.”

“Rock-carved sculptures and bas-reliefs on abrupt limestone cliffs are widely deemed as characteristics and striking relics of the Sassanian art, top examples of which can be traced at Bishapur, Naqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab in southern Iran.”

Naqsh-e Rustam majestic tombs of Persian Kings

It was time to bid farewell to Persepolis and head to Naqsh-e Rustam. At Persepolis we had had a glimpse of how life was conducted under the great Achaemenid Empire (500 – 330 BCE). Now it was time to visit the majestic tombs and last resting place of its kings.

All day, there had been threats of a storm around the ancient city. Now that we were driving away, a strong wind was rising. Soon a…

The Sassanian Shahs and satraps would stage elaborate communal festivals for Nowruz (Persian New Year’s Day - the day of the vernal equinox). These events were not merely a religious observance (Nowruz is a holy day in Zoroastrianism) but moreover they played a vital role in the political workings of the empire. As with many communal festivals, the masses would be offered entertainment and free food (particularly meat, which was rare treat for non-elites in agricultural societies throughout most of history because it was expensive). Moreover, they would also witness a certain kind of political theater by the elites: