Hormizd II

Hormizd II, was the eighth Persian king of the Sassanid Empire, and reigned for seven years and five months, from 302 to 309. He was the son of Narseh (293–302).

Almost nothing is known of his reign. After his death his oldest son Adarnases (Adur-Narseh), who had a cruel disposition, was killed by the grandees after a very short reign;^[1] another son, Hormizd, was held prisoner, while the throne was reserved for the child of his concubine, Shapur II. Another version has it that Shapur II was the son of Hormizd II's first wife, and that while still pregnant she was made to wear a crown over her pudenda so that the baby would be born as a king.^[2]

His son Hormizd escaped from prison in 323 with the help of his wife, and found refuge at the court of Constantine the Great (324–337) (Zosimus ii. 27; John of Antioch, fr. 178; Zonaras 13–5). In 363, Hormizd served against Persia in the army of the Roman emperor Julian (361–363); in turn his son, of the same name, later served as proconsul (Ammianus Marcellinus 26. 8. 12).

References

^ Touraj Daryaee, Sasanian Persia, (I.B.Tauris Ltd, 2010), 16.
^ Touraj Daryaee, 16.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Hormizd II Sassanid dynasty
Preceded by Narseh	Great King (Shah) of Persia 302–309	Succeeded by Shapur II

Rulers of the Sassanid Empire (224–651)

Ardashir I (224–241) · Shapur I (241–272) · Hormizd I (272–273) · Bahram I (273–276) · Bahram II (276–293) · Bahram III (293) · Narseh (293–302) · Hormizd II (302–309) · Adhur Narseh (309) · Shapur II (309–379) · Ardashir II (379–383) · Shapur III (383–388) · Bahram IV (388–399) · Yazdegerd I (399–420) · Bahram V (420–438) · Yazdegerd II (438–457) · Hormizd III^§ (457–459) · Peroz I (457–484) · Balash (484–488) · Kavadh I (488–496) · Djamasp (496–498) · Kavadh I (498–531) · Khosrau I (531–579) · Hormizd IV (579–590) · Bahram VI Chobin^§ (590–591) · Khosrau II (591–628) · Bistam (Sassanid king)^§ (591–595) · Hormizd V^§ (593) · Kavadh II (628) · Ardashir III (628–630) · Shahrbaraz^§ (630) · Khosrau III^§ (630) · Borandukht (630–631) · Azarmidokht (631) · Hormizd VI (631–632) · Khosrau IV (631–633) · Yazdegerd III (632–651) · Peroz II (pretender)

^§ usurpers or rival claimants

Persondata
Name	Hormizd 02
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	309
Place of death