THE HISTORY OF AL-'fABARi AN ANNOTATED TRANS L ATION
VOLUME V " The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen • , Bibliotheca Persica Edited by Ehsan Yar-Shater ··
The History of al-Tabari (Ta'rikh al-rusul wa'l-mulUk)
VOLUME V
The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen
translated and annotated by
C. E. Bosworth
University of Manchester
State University of New York Press The History of al-Tabari
Editorial Board Ihsan Abbas, University of Jordan, Amman C. E. Bosworth, The University of Manchester Franz Rosenthal, Yale University Everett• K. Rowson, The University of Pennsylvania Ehsan Yar-Shater, Columbia University (Genezal Editor)
Center for Iranian Studies Columbia University
SUNY
SERIES IN NEAR EASTERN STUDIES Said Amir Arjomand, Editor
The preparation of this volume was made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency. Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 1999 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. No part of this book may be ~tored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permiss~n in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of New York Press, State University Plaza, Albany, N.Y., 12246 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tabari, 838? -923. [Tarikh al-rusul wa-al-muluk. English. Selections! The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen / translated and annotated by C. E. Bosworth. p. cm. - (SUNY series in Near Eastern studies) (The history of al-Tabar! = Ta'rikh al-rusul wa'l-muluk; 5) (Bibliotheca Persica) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914- 4355-8 (he: alk. paper). - ISBN 0-7914-4356- 6 (pb: alk. paper) 1 . Iran- History-To 640. 2. Iran- History-640-1256. I. Bosworth, Clifford Edmund. II. Title. ill. Series. IV. Series: Tabar!, 838?-923. Tarikh al-rusul wa-al-muluk. English; v. 5. V. Series: Bibliotheca Persica (Albany, N.Y.) DS38.2.T313 1985 vol. 5 [DS286] 909'.r s-dc21 (955'.02)
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I Contents .,
' '
Preface / v
Abbreviations / xiii
Translator's Foreword / xv
Tables 1. The Sasanid Emperors / xxv 2 . The Roman and Byzantine Emperors, from Constantine the Great to Heraclius / :xxvii 3. The Lakhmid Rulers / x.xviii 4. The Chiefs of Kindah / xxix 5. Rulers in South Arabia during the Sixth and Early Seventh Centuries / xxx
Maps 1. The Sasanid Empire / xxxi 2. The Roman-Byzantine and Persian Frontierlands / xxxii 3. The Northeastem Frontier of the Sasanids / xxxiii 4. The Arabian Peninsula: the lands of the Lakhmids, Kindah, etc. / xxxiv 5. Southwestern Arabia / xxxv Vlll Contents
[The Kings of the Persians] I r
[Ardashir I] / 2
[The History of al-I:Iirahj / 20
Mention of the Holders of Power in the Kingdom of Persia after Ardashir b. Bii.bak I 23
[Sabiir I, called Sabur al-Junud] I 23
[Hunmiz I] / 40
[Bahram I] I 43
[The History of al-I:Iirah] / 44
[Bahram II] I 46
[Bahram mJ I 47
[Narsi) / 48
[Hurmuz II) / 49
[Sa.burn Dhu al-Aktaf) / so
[The History of al-I:Iirah] / 67
[Ardashir Ilj / 67
[Sabfu III) / 68
[Bahram IV) I 69
[Yazdajird II I 70
[The History of al-I:Iirah] I 74 Contents ix
[Bahram V JurJ / 82
[Yazdajird IIJ / 106
[Fayriiz IJ / ro9
Mention of Events in the Reigns of Yazdajird (II), Son of Bahriim (VJ, and Fayruz, and the Relations of Their Respective Governors with the Arabs and the People of Yemen / 121
[Balash! I 126
[Qubadh IJ / 128
Mention of What Has Been Recorded Concerning the Events Taking Place Among the Arabs in Qubadh's Reign in His Kingdom and Involving His Governors / 139
[Kisrii I Aniisharwan] / 146
[The History of al-l:firahJ / 162
[The History of Yemen] Mention of the Rest of the Story of Tubba' in the Days of Qubiidh and the Time of Amlsharwan and the Persians' Dispatch of an Army to Yemen in Order to Combat the Abyssinians, and the Reason for This Last / 164
[Resumption of the History of Kisrii AniisharwiinJ / 252
Mention of the Birth of the Messenger of God I 268
[The Remainder of Kisrii. Anusharwii.n's Reign and the Last Sii.sii.nid Kings] I 285
(Hurmuz] / 295
[Kisrii II Abarwiz] / 3o 5 x Contents
Mention of Those Who Say That (i.e., those who say that the words of Siirat al-Riim refer to Abarwiz's defeat of Hiraql) I 324
Mention of the Account Concerning the Events That Happened when God Wished to Take Away from the people of Persia Rule over Persia, and the Arabs' Overrunnning It by Means of God's Favoring Them with His Prophet Mul;i.ammad, Involving the Prophethood, the Caliphate, the Royal Power, and the Dominion, in the Days of Kisrii Abarwiz / 33 r
[The Encounter at Dhii Qiir) / 338 • Mention of Those Vassal Rulers Set over the Desert Frontier of the Arabs at al-l:f'uah as Appointees of the Monarchs of Persia, after 'Amr b. Hind / 370
The Story Returns to the Mention of al-Manlziin, Who Governed Yemen on Behalf of Hurmuz and His Son Abarwiz, and His Successors I 373
[Qubiidh II Shiriiyah] / 381
[Ardashir ID] I 400
[Shahrbariiz] / 402
Buran I 403
[Jushnas Dih] I 405
[AzarmidukhtJ I 406
[Kisrii ill) / 407
[Khurraziidh Khusraw] / 407
[Fayriiz II] / 408 Contents xi
(Farrukhzadh Khusraw] / 408
(Y azdajird ID] / 409
[The Chronology of the World] I 4r2
Mention of Those Who Say That (i.e., that there elapsed ten centuries from Adam to Noah, a further ten from Noah to Abraham, and a further ten from Abraham to Moses) / 413
Bibliography of Cited Works / 419
Index I 443