certainly impossible to justify the paltry
casuistry by which he endeavored to reconcile his actions with his words
at the time of his second invasion. But his persistent hostility towards
the Ephthalites is far from inexcusable, and its motive may have been
patriotic rather than personal. He probably felt that the Ephthalite
power was among those from which Persia had most to fear, and that it
would have been weak in him to allow gratitude for a favor conferred
upon himself to tie his hands in a matter where the interests of his
country were vitally concerned. The Ephthalites continued for nearly a
century more to be among the most dangerous of her neighbors to Persia;
and it was only by frequent attacks upon them in their own homes
that Persia could reasonably hope to ward off their ravages from her
territory.

It is doubtful whether we possess any coins of Hormisdas III., the
brother and predecessor of Perozes. Those which are assigned to him by
Mordtmann bear a name which has no resemblance to his; and those bearing
the name of Ram, which Mr. Taylor considers to be coins of Hormisdas,
cannot have been issued under his authority, since Ram was the
guardian and general, not of Hormisdas, but of his brother. Perhaps the
remarkable specimen figured by M. Longperier in his valuable work, which
shows a bull's head in place of the usual inflated ball, may really
belong to this prince. The legend upon it is read without any doubt
as Auhrimazd, or "Hormisdas;" and in general character it is certainly
Sassanian, and of about this period. [PLATE XXI., Fig. 5.]

The coins of Perozes are undoubted, and are very numerous. They are
distinguished generally by the addition to the ordinary crown of two
wings, one in front of the crown, and the other behind it, and bear the
legend, _Kadi Piruzi_, or _Mazdisn Kadi Piruzi_, i.e., "King Perozes,"
or "the Ormazd-worshipping king Perozes." The earring of the monarch
is a triple pendant. On the reverse, besides the usual fire-altar
and supporters, we see on either side of the altar-flame a star and
a crescent. The legend here is M--probably for malka, "king"--or
else Kadi, together with a mint-mark. The mints named are numerous,
comprising (according to Mordtmann) Persepolis, Ispahan, Rhages,
Nehavend, Darabgherd, Zadracarta, Nissa, Behistun, Chuzistan, Media,
Kerman, and Azerbijan; or (according to Mr. Thomas) Persepolis, Rasht,
Nehavend, Darabgherd, Baiza, Modai'n, Merv, Shiz, Iran, Kerm