Ehsan Khonsarinejad - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Ehsan Khonsarinejad
Res Orientales, 2023
Since the time that researchers paid serious attention to the study of Sasanian seals, and conseq... more Since the time that researchers paid serious attention to the study of Sasanian seals, and consequently identified many notables of this historical period, our understanding of the Sasanian society has been enhanced. The seals of the religious minority community grandees are among the most significant of these. In this paper, we will examine a seal from the Sasanian period that probably belongs to one of the leaders of the Church of the East. The seal discussed in this article, according to its Syriac epigraphy, belongs to an individual named “Bābōy”. During the Sasanian era, a number of the Eastern Church clergy named “Bābiy” and “Bābōy”, held various positions in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, from catholicos to priest. These individuals were stationed in various regions of the Sasanian realm. In order to accurately identify this character, the dating of the seal, the historical context of the motif and its inscription have been examined. According to the results of this research, the closest individual to whom we can attribute this seal could be “Bābōy”, the fifth-century Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. Bābōy led the East-Syrian community from the mid-fifth century (c. 457) to 484/485, during the reigns of Ohrmazd III and Pērōz. Syriac and Christian Arabic historiography and hagiography have developed several accounts in order to justify the execution of Bābōy: the conspiracies of some of the notables of the Church of Persia, his dubious loyalty to the king, holding of controversial ceremonies for Christian martyrs, and his alleged letter to the Roman emperor Zeno, which was stamped with Bābōy’s personal seal. In this article, we will examine the aforementioned seal and make the assumption that it could be identified with that of the catholicos.
persica antiqua, 2023
The artistic background of the Good Shepherd motif can be traced to ancient eras of the East and ... more The artistic background of the Good Shepherd motif can be traced to ancient eras of the East and the West. This motif later gained prominence in early Christian art. The ram-bearer (carrying a sacrificial or an offering animal) first appeared in Near Eastern art and later became an important motif in Greco-Roman art to represent certain roles of the god Hermes. This motif was considered by Christian converts as a symbol of Jesus Christ, as they represented him in the figure of a young shepherd caring for his flock. This theme can also be seen on some Sasanian seals, which can be considered as the Good Shepherd motif. In this article, the authors introduce the aforementioned motif depicted on these seals and examine their possible connection with the Christian communities. The motif of the Good Shepherd, as seen on the seals, demonstrates modifications in the original iconography. These changes can be observed in the longer dress of the ram-bearer or the engraving of celestial symbols. These modifications are probably a sign of the localization process of an imported motif in the Sasanian Empire.
Periodicals by Ehsan Khonsarinejad
Founded in 2012, the Historia i Świat (History and the World) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted... more Founded in 2012, the Historia i Świat (History and the World) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the history of the territories in Near East and Central Europe. The volumes are divided into two main sections: Acta Militaria Iranica and Acta Historica. The first section is dedicated to the research in the Warfare in antiquity and the history of Near East. The second section is devoted to the history of the territories in Central Europe.
The journal welcomes submissions in all fields of the social sciences and historical and cultural studies, and seeks to stimulate social debate on current issues. Historia i Świat publishes research articles, biographies and book reviews.
Res Orientales, 2023
Since the time that researchers paid serious attention to the study of Sasanian seals, and conseq... more Since the time that researchers paid serious attention to the study of Sasanian seals, and consequently identified many notables of this historical period, our understanding of the Sasanian society has been enhanced. The seals of the religious minority community grandees are among the most significant of these. In this paper, we will examine a seal from the Sasanian period that probably belongs to one of the leaders of the Church of the East. The seal discussed in this article, according to its Syriac epigraphy, belongs to an individual named “Bābōy”. During the Sasanian era, a number of the Eastern Church clergy named “Bābiy” and “Bābōy”, held various positions in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, from catholicos to priest. These individuals were stationed in various regions of the Sasanian realm. In order to accurately identify this character, the dating of the seal, the historical context of the motif and its inscription have been examined. According to the results of this research, the closest individual to whom we can attribute this seal could be “Bābōy”, the fifth-century Catholicos of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. Bābōy led the East-Syrian community from the mid-fifth century (c. 457) to 484/485, during the reigns of Ohrmazd III and Pērōz. Syriac and Christian Arabic historiography and hagiography have developed several accounts in order to justify the execution of Bābōy: the conspiracies of some of the notables of the Church of Persia, his dubious loyalty to the king, holding of controversial ceremonies for Christian martyrs, and his alleged letter to the Roman emperor Zeno, which was stamped with Bābōy’s personal seal. In this article, we will examine the aforementioned seal and make the assumption that it could be identified with that of the catholicos.
persica antiqua, 2023
The artistic background of the Good Shepherd motif can be traced to ancient eras of the East and ... more The artistic background of the Good Shepherd motif can be traced to ancient eras of the East and the West. This motif later gained prominence in early Christian art. The ram-bearer (carrying a sacrificial or an offering animal) first appeared in Near Eastern art and later became an important motif in Greco-Roman art to represent certain roles of the god Hermes. This motif was considered by Christian converts as a symbol of Jesus Christ, as they represented him in the figure of a young shepherd caring for his flock. This theme can also be seen on some Sasanian seals, which can be considered as the Good Shepherd motif. In this article, the authors introduce the aforementioned motif depicted on these seals and examine their possible connection with the Christian communities. The motif of the Good Shepherd, as seen on the seals, demonstrates modifications in the original iconography. These changes can be observed in the longer dress of the ram-bearer or the engraving of celestial symbols. These modifications are probably a sign of the localization process of an imported motif in the Sasanian Empire.
Founded in 2012, the Historia i Świat (History and the World) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted... more Founded in 2012, the Historia i Świat (History and the World) is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the history of the territories in Near East and Central Europe. The volumes are divided into two main sections: Acta Militaria Iranica and Acta Historica. The first section is dedicated to the research in the Warfare in antiquity and the history of Near East. The second section is devoted to the history of the territories in Central Europe.
The journal welcomes submissions in all fields of the social sciences and historical and cultural studies, and seeks to stimulate social debate on current issues. Historia i Świat publishes research articles, biographies and book reviews.