more ordinary type on the coins of Chosroes I. is one differing but
little from those of his father, Kobad, and his son, Hormazd IV. The
obverse has the king's head in profile, and the reverse the usual
fire-altar and supporters. The distinguishing mark of these coins is,
in addition to the legend, that they have three simple crescents in the
margin of the obverse, instead of three crescents with stars. [PLATE
XXII., Fig. 4.]

A relic of Chosroes has come down to us, which is of great beauty. This
is a cup composed of a number of small disks of colored glass, united
by a gold setting, and having at the bottom a crystal, engraved with a
figure of the monarch. As late as 1638 it was believed that the disks of
glass were jacynths, garnets, and emeralds, while the stone which forms
the base was thought to be a white sapphire. The original owner of so
rare a drinking-vessel could (it was supposed) only be Solomon; and the
figure at the bottom was accordingly supposed to represent the Jewish
king. Archaeologists are now agreed that the engraving on the gem, which
exactly resembles the figure upon the peculiar coins above described,
represents Chosroes Anushirwan, and is of his age. There is no
sufficient reason to doubt but that the cup itself is one out of which
he was accustomed to drink.

It is the great glory of Anushirwan that the title which his subjects
gave him was "the Just." According to European, and especially to modern
ideas, this praise would seem to have undeserved; and thus the great
historian of the Byzantine period has not scrupled to declare that in
his external policy Chosroes was actuated by mere ambition, and that "in
his domestic administration he deserved the appellation of a tyrant."
Undoubtedly the punishments which he inflicted were for the most part
severe; but they were not capricious, nor uniform, nor without reference
to the character of the offence. Plotting against his crown or
his person, when the conspirators were of full age, treasonable
correspondence with the enemy, violation of the sanctity of the harem,
and the proselytism which was strictly forbidden by the laws, he
punished with death. But, when the rebel was a mere youth, he was
content to inflict a disfigurement; whence the offence was less, he
could imprison, or confine to a particular spot, or simply banish
the culprit from his presence. Instances on record of his clemency to
offenders, and others which show that, when his own in