Editing Ardashir I (section)

== Historiography ==
The primary references of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanian]] era can be divided to the two categories "text remnants" and "reports":

=== Text remnants ===
Text remnants include [[Epigraphy|inscriptions]], [[leather]] writings, [[Papyrus|papyri]] and [[Tableware|crockeries]] written in multiple languages and scripts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Cambridge History of Iran|last=Windengren}}</ref> Examples of text remnants related to Ardashir I include his short inscription in Naqsh-e Rajab and also [[Shapur I's inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht]].<ref name=":0" />

=== Reports ===
Reports are texts that are written in various languages and periods.<ref name=":0" /> The basis of the writings of all [[Muslim]] [[historian]]s ([[Arabs|Arabic]] and [[Persian people|Persian]] histories), has been the official ''[[Khwaday-Namag]]'' of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanian]] court that have utilized the recorded diaries in the official calendars of the court as references. Khwaday-Namag was prepared at the end of the Sassanian era in [[Middle Persian]]. The title of the [[Arabic]] translation of the book was ''Seir-ol Moluk-el Ajam'' and the Persian version was ''Shahnameh''. Today, none of the direct translations of ''Khwaday-Namag'' or its original Persian text are available.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Iran During the Sassanians|last=Christensen}}</ref>

==== Greek-Roman ====
[[Cassius Dio]] is one of the resources of [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] history that has given a report about the downfall of the Parthians and the rise of Ardashir I.<ref name=":0" />

[[Herodian|Herodian's]] ''History'' has also extensively explained the procedure of the change of monarchy from Parthian to [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanian]].<ref name=":1" />

Although [[Agathias]] lived during the time of [[Khosrow I]], due to his access to the royal yearbooks in [[Ctesiphon]] archives, his history book is one of the main sources. However, he has used colloquial statements in reporting the story of Ardashir's youth.<ref name=":0" />

==== Armenian ====
The [[History of Armenia|Armenian history]] in the [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanian]] era is completely connected with Iranian royal history; thus, not only do the writings of then [[Armenia]]n historians provide important matters about the adventures of Iranian [[King of Kings|kings of kings]], but show the status of [[Armenia–Iran relations|Iran-Armenia relations]].<ref name=":1" /> ''Armenian History'' by [[Agathangelos]] is one of Armenian resources about the early Sassanian era.<ref name=":0" />

[[Movses Khorenatsi]], known as the Armenian [[Herodotus]], an historian of the fifth century AD has stated a story about Ardashir I that is relatively similar to the adapted story from the biography of [[Cyrus the Great]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Epics in Persia|last=Safa}}</ref>

==== Syriac ====
Another class of [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] history references is the books written by [[Christians]] in [[Syriac language]].

''Arbella's Chronicles'' is a text written in mid-sixth century AD and includes the history of Christian regions of [[Mesopotamia]] from the second century until 550.<ref name=":1" /> The book is very valuable for the period of the downfall of the [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]] and the rise of the Sasanians.<ref name=":0" />

''History of Odessa'' is a book written in 540 and includes chronicles from 132 BC until 540.<ref name=":1" />

''Chronicles of Karakh Beit Solug'', is a short but important source that presents valuable information about the early Sasanian period.<ref name=":0" />

==== Middle Persian ====
''[[Kar-Namag i Ardashir i Pabagan|Kār-Nāmag ī Ardašīr ī Pābagān]]'' is an epic story about Ardashir I and the procedure of his ascension to the throne of Iran. The text was written in about 600 AD and in the end of Sasanian era in [[Middle Persian|Middle Persian language]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Culture of Persian Literature|last=Sharifi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=In the Cambridge History of Iran|last=Parikhanian}}</ref>

==== New Persian ====
[[File:Coin of Ardashir I (phase 3), Hamadan mint.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|[[Ancient drachma|Drachma]] of Ardashir I, minted at [[Hamadan]] between 233 and 239]]

[[Ferdowsi|Ferdowsi's]] [[Shahnameh]] is the largest and most important reference about the reports related to the national [[History of Iran|Iranian history]]. It presents helpful information about the [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] organizations and civilization.<ref name=":0" />

''Bal'ami's History'', which is a [[Persian language|Persian]] rewrite of [[History of the Prophets and Kings|Tabari's History]], is one of the most important Persian prose works about the Sasanians. Apart from the [[Arabic]] text, the work is valuable, since it provides the Persian equals of Arabic expressions in Tabari's History.<ref name=":0" />

''Farsnameh'' is one of the helpful Persian references about Sasanian history that presents valuable information about the status and the rankings of grand appointed [[governor]]s and their positions, while they were considered part of the public relative to the kings.<ref name=":0" />

[[Ibn Isfandiyar]]'s ''History of Tabaristan'' is another one of Sasanian history sources. The [[Letter of Tansar]] is written in the book.<ref name=":0" />

[[Mojmal al-tawarikh]] is a text with limited value, since most of its reports are mentioned extensively in other sources.<ref name=":0" />

''Ardasgir's Oath'' is a letter or preach by Ardashir I about government rituals that is named in ''Mojmal al-tawarikh''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Log of Ardashir I|last=Mashkur}}</ref>

==== Arabic ====
''[[Al-Tabari|Tabari's]] History'' is a book series in [[Arabic]] that is the main and essential source about [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] history.<ref name=":0" />

[[Al-Masudi]]'s ''[[The Meadows of Gold]]'' is another source about the Sasanian history.<ref name=":0" />