Editing Bahram II (section)

{{Short description|Shahanshah of the Sasanian Empire from 274 to 293}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name        = Bahram II<br>{{lang|pal|𐭥𐭫𐭧𐭫𐭠𐭭}}
| title       = [[King of Kings of Iranians and non-Iranians]]
| image       = Silver coin of Bahram II (cropped).jpg
| image_size  = 
| caption     = [[Ancient drachma|Drachma]] of Bahram II
| succession  = [[List of shahanshahs of the Sasanian Empire|Shahanshah]] of the [[Sasanian Empire]]
| reign       = September 274{{snd}}293
| predecessor = [[Bahram I]]
| successor   = [[Bahram III]]
| queen       = [[Shapurdukhtak]]
| issue       = [[Bahram III]]
| royal house = [[House of Sasan]]
| father      = [[Bahram I]]
| birth_date  =
| birth_place = 
| death_date  = 293
| death_place = 
| religion    = [[Zoroastrianism]]
}}
'''Bahram II''' (also spelled '''Wahram II''' or '''Warahran II'''; {{langx|pal|𐭥𐭫𐭧𐭫𐭠𐭭}}) was the fifth [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] [[King of Kings]] (''[[shahanshah]]'') of [[Iran]], from 274 to 293. He was the son and successor of [[Bahram I]] ({{reign|271|274}}). Bahram II, while still in his teens, ascended the throne with the aid of the powerful [[Zoroastrian]] priest [[Kartir]], just like his father had done.

He was met with considerable challenges during his reign, facing a rebellion in the east led by his brother, the [[Kushano-Sasanian]] dynast [[Hormizd I Kushanshah]], who also assumed the title of King of Kings and possibly laid claims to the Sasanian throne. Another rebellion, led by Bahram II's cousin [[Hormizd of Sakastan]] in [[Sakastan (Sasanian province)|Sakastan]], also occurred around this period. In [[Khuzistan (Sasanian province)|Khuzestan]], a Zoroastrian factional revolt led by a high-priest (''[[mowbed]]'') occurred. The [[Roman Empire|Roman]] emperor [[Carus]] exploited the turbulent situation of Iran by launching a campaign into its holdings in [[Mesopotamia]] in 283. Bahram II, who was in the east, was unable to mount an effective coordinated defense at the time, possibly losing his capital of [[Ctesiphon]] to the Roman emperor. However, Carus died soon afterwards, reportedly being struck by lightning. As a result, the Roman army withdrew, and Mesopotamia was reclaimed by the Sasanians. By the end of his reign, Bahram II had made peace with the Roman emperor [[Diocletian]] and put an end to the disturbances in Khuzestan and the east. 

In the [[Caucasus]], Bahram II strengthened Sasanian authority by securing the [[Kingdom of Iberia|Iberian]] throne for [[Mirian III of Iberia|Mirian III]], an Iranian nobleman from the [[House of Mihran]]. Bahram II has been suggested by scholars to be the first Sasanian ruler to have [[Sasanian coinage|coins]] minted of his family. He also ordered the carving of several rock reliefs that unambiguously emphasize distinguished representations of his family and members of the high nobility. He was succeeded by his son [[Bahram III]], who after only four months of reign, was overthrown by [[Narseh]], a son of the second Sasanian ruler, [[Shapur I]] ({{reign|240|270}}).