he workmen employed by him.

At the worst, should it be thought that Byzantine influence appears so
plainly in the later Sassanian works, that Rome rather than Persia must
be credited with the buildings and sculptures of both the first and
the second Chosroes, still it will have to be allowed that the
earlier palaces--those at Ser-bistan and Firuzabad--and the spirited
battle-scenes above described, are wholly native; since they present
no trace of any foreign element. But, it is in these battle-scenes, as
already noticed, that the delineative art of the Sassanians culminates;
and it may further be questioned whether the Firuzabad palace is not
the finest specimen of their architecture, severe though it be in the
character of its ornamentation; so that, even should we surrender the
whole of the later works enough will still remain to show that the
Sassanians, and the Persians of their day, had merit as artists and
builders, a merit the more creditable to them inasmuch as for five
centuries they had had no opportunity of cultivating their powers,
having been crushed by the domination of a race singularly devoid of
artistic aspirations. Even with regard to the works for which they may
have been indebted to foreigners, it is to be remembered that, unless
the monarchs had appreciated high art, and admired it, they would not
have hired, at great expense, the services of these aliens. For my
own part, I see no reason to doubt that the Sassanian remains of every
period are predominantly, if not exclusively, native, not excepting
those of the first Chosroes, for I mistrust the statement of
Theophylact.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

ON THE RELIGION, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, ETC., OF THE LATER PERSIANS.

_Religion of the later Persians, Dualism of the extremest kind. Ideas
entertained with respect to Ormazd and Ahriman. Representations of them.
Ormazd the special Guardian of the Kings. Lesser Deities subject
to Ormazd: Mithra, Serosh, Vayu, Airyanam, Vitraha, etc. The six
Amshash-pands: Bahman, Ardibehesht, Shahravar, Isfand-armat, Khordad,
and Amerdat. Religion, how far idolatrous. Worship of Anaitis. Chief
Evil Spirits subject to Ahriman: Alcomano, Indra, Caurva, Naonhaitya,
Taric, and Zaric. Position of Man between the two Worlds of Good and
Evil. His Duties: Worship, Agriculture, Purity. Nature of the Worship.
Hymns, Invocations, the Homa Ceremony, Sacrifice. Agriculture a part
of Religion. Purity required: 1, Moral; 2, Legal. Nat