lested, and to increase the number of his
disciples.

The reign of Zamasp appears to have lasted from A.D. 498 to A.D. 501,
or between two and three years. He was urged by the army to put Kobad
to death, but hesitated to adopt so extreme a course, and preferred
retaining his rival as a prisoner. The "Castle of Oblivion" was regarded
as a place of safe custody; but the ex-king contrived in a short time to
put a cheat on his guards and effect his escape from confinement. Like
other claimants of the Persian throne, he at once took refuge with the
Ephthalites, and sought to persuade the Great Khan to embrace his cause
and place an army at his disposal. The Khan showed himself more than
ordinarily complaisant. He can scarcely have sympathized with the
religious leanings of his suppliant; but he remembered that he had
placed him upon the throne, and had found him a faithful feudatory and
a quiet neighbor. He therefore received him with every mark of honor,
betrothed him to one of his own daughters, and lent him an army of
30,000 men. With this force Kobad returned to Persia, and offered battle
to Zamasp. Zamasp declined the conflict. He had not succeeded in making
himself popular with his subjects, and knew that a large party desired
the return of his brother. It is probable that he did not greatly desire
a throne. At any rate, when his brother reached the neighborhood of the
capital, at the head of the 30,000 Ephthalites and of a strong body of
Persian adherents, Zamasp determined upon submission. He vacated the
throne in favor of Kobad, without risking the chance of a battle, and
descended voluntarily into a private station. Different stories are told
of his treatment by the restored monarch. According to Procopius, he
was blinded after a cruel method long established among the Persians;
but Mirkhond declares that he was pardoned, and even received from his
brother marked signs of affection and favor.

The coins of Zamasp have the usual inflated ball and mural crown, but
with a crescent in place of the front limb of the crown. The ends of the
diadem appear over the two shoulders. On either side of the head there
is a star, and over either shoulder a crescent. Outside the encircling
ring, or "pearl border," we see, almost for the first time, three stars
with crescents. The reverse bears the usual fire-altar, with a star and
crescent on either side of the flame. The legend is extremely brief,
being either _Zamasp_ or _Bag Za