"Tell me, Hormisdas - What is your impression of this great city of Rome? What do you like on it?"
"I only like that on Rome, that even here, people are dying."
Hormizd (Latin/Greek : Hormisdas) is a Sassanid Persian prince who was originally a throne heir but expelled from the Empire. The Persian nobles imprisoned him to make his younger half-brother Shapur II the Emperor. They were trying to take over the real power by crowning the just-born baby Shapur. However, Hormizd managed to escape into Roman Empire of Constantine I. He lived as a important figure in the court of Constantinople and sought the opportunity to regain the Persian throne. However, his hope took a long time to become reality. Constantine I died shortly after beginning the Persian expedition, and his son Constantius II continued to lose to Persia. Finally, during the Invasion of Julian (363) he re-entered the Persian relam. He was meant to be installed as a Roman friendly Emperor, but the expedition failed completely. Even if he succeeded, it would have been difficult to maintain the throne because most Persians saw Hormizd as a traitor. Eventually he returned to Constantinople and died there. Hormizd's son later served as the Roman proconsul. The small building of Hormizd in Constantinople become to be known as 'Palace of Hormidas' after his death. The building later became the center of the Palace of Boukoleon.
This painting is based of an episode recorded by Ammianus Marcellinus. In 357, Hormizd and Emperor Constantius II was touring the western provinces. They visited Rome, the old capital of the empire. Constantius was amazed at the architectural marvels of Rome, but felt sad from realizing that he will never be able to construct anything similar. Later, he and Hormizd walked through the Trajan's Forum and stood in front of the giant equestrian statue of Trajan. Then they had the above mentioned conversation.
"I only like that on Rome, that even here, people are dying."
Hormizd (Latin/Greek : Hormisdas) is a Sassanid Persian prince who was originally a throne heir but expelled from the Empire. The Persian nobles imprisoned him to make his younger half-brother Shapur II the Emperor. They were trying to take over the real power by crowning the just-born baby Shapur. However, Hormizd managed to escape into Roman Empire of Constantine I. He lived as a important figure in the court of Constantinople and sought the opportunity to regain the Persian throne. However, his hope took a long time to become reality. Constantine I died shortly after beginning the Persian expedition, and his son Constantius II continued to lose to Persia. Finally, during the Invasion of Julian (363) he re-entered the Persian relam. He was meant to be installed as a Roman friendly Emperor, but the expedition failed completely. Even if he succeeded, it would have been difficult to maintain the throne because most Persians saw Hormizd as a traitor. Eventually he returned to Constantinople and died there. Hormizd's son later served as the Roman proconsul. The small building of Hormizd in Constantinople become to be known as 'Palace of Hormidas' after his death. The building later became the center of the Palace of Boukoleon.
This painting is based of an episode recorded by Ammianus Marcellinus. In 357, Hormizd and Emperor Constantius II was touring the western provinces. They visited Rome, the old capital of the empire. Constantius was amazed at the architectural marvels of Rome, but felt sad from realizing that he will never be able to construct anything similar. Later, he and Hormizd walked through the Trajan's Forum and stood in front of the giant equestrian statue of Trajan. Then they had the above mentioned conversation.
Category Artwork (Digital) / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Gender Male
Size 1181 x 1280px
Comments