Djamasp

For the 10th century BC philosopher, see Jamasp.

Djamasp (also transcribed as Jamasp or Zamasp) (Persian: جاماسپ) was a Sassanid king who ruled from 496 to 498. He was a younger brother of king Kavadh I and was installed on the Sassanid throne upon the deposition of the latter by members of the nobility.

Not much is known about Jamasp himself, and his name occurs only in conjunction with his short interregnum. Byzantine accounts of the episode (Joshua the Stylite and Procopius) mention that Kavadh was deposed because of his determination to spread a new "religion" that preached redistribution of property. Following Kavadh's deposition and subsequent imprisonment, Jamasp was elected to succeed his brother.

Later Islamic sources such as Tabari and Dinawari inform us that Jamasp was a good and kind king who reduced taxes in order to relieve the peasants and the poor. He was also a proper adherent of the Mazdean religion (Zoroastrianism), diversions from which had cost Kavadh his throne and freedom.

The sources also tell us that upon the return of Kavadh at the head of a large army given to him by the white Hun king, Jamasp loyally stepped down from his position and restored the throne to his brother. No further mention of Jamasp is made after the restoration of Kavadh.

References

Wigram, W. A. (2004). An introduction to the history of the Assyrian Church, or, The Church of the Sassanid Persian Empire, 100–640 A.D. Gorgias Press. ISBN 1593331037.

Preceded by Kavadh I	Sassanid Ruler 496–498	Succeeded by Kavadh I (restored)

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