Yazdgird I, Saint Marutha and the Changing Images of the Sassanid King

Abstract

This study analyses the relations that established Yazdgird I (Yazdekert, 399-420) in the context of faith with the Eastern Roman Empire and the Christians living in the Sassanid Iran. The article first examines the records found in the sources relating to the Roman emperor Arcadius entrusting the protection of his infant son Theodosios II to Yazdgird I. Afterwards, the role of Marutha, the bishop of Maiperkat, in the friendly relations between the two sides was analysed, and the importance of the Synod of Mār Ishaq (410), which was a significant step towards the institutionalisation of the East Syriac Church in the Iranian geography, was emphasised. Yazdgird I, who contributed to the foundation of Martyropolis together with Theodosios II, turned towards some anti-Christian movements, indicating that he faced some problems in the internal policy. If the Persian Martyr Narratives (Persian Martyr Acts) are to be trusted, Yazdgird I, who pursued pragmatic policies during his reign, resorted to punishing Christians, especially those who went too far in their anti-Zoroastrianism as a result of the incitements of the Zoroastrian priests and nobles. It has been debated for the last two decades whether the Persian Martyr Narratives can provide a contemporary witness to the situation of Christians living in the Sassanid Dynasty. In this article, this last type of source, which has a predominantly religious and literary character, is used together with the records of the church historian Theodoretus to illuminate the years of Yazdgird I’s reign. On the other hand, Yazdgird I is almost without exception referred to as a “sinner” in the Arab-Iranian historiography. This unity of opinion makes it difficult to accept Yazdgird I as a king who persecuted Christians, despite the aforementioned records.