Editing Bahram II (section)

==Coins==
[[Image:Coin of Bahram II, Herat mint (2).jpg|thumb|Gold dinar of Bahram II alone, [[Herat]] mint]]
Starting with Bahram II, all the Sasanian shahs are portrayed with earrings on their [[Sasanian coinage|coins]].{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=832}} He is the first shah to have wings on his crown, which refers to the wings of the god's bird, Verethragna.{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=829}} Like his predecessors (with the exception of [[Ardashir I]] and Shapur I, whose legends were slightly different), Bahram II's legend on his coinage was "the Mazda-worshiping, divine Bahram, King of Kings of Iran(ians) and non-Iran(ians), whose image/brilliance is from the gods."{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=836}}{{sfn|Shayegan|2013|p=805}}{{efn|In [[Middle Persian]]: ''Mazdēsn bay Warahrān šāhān šāh Ērān ud Anērān kēčihr az yazdān''.{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=836}}}}

Several coin types were minted during Bahram II's reign; one type imitates him alone; another with him and a female figure; a third one with Bahram II and an unbearded youngster wearing a high [[tiara]] (known as a [[Media (region)|Median]] bonnet); and a fourth one shows Bahram II with the female figure and the unbearded youngster all together.{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}}{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2008|pp=25–26}}{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=831}} The female figure is wearing different headdress on some of the coins, sometimes with a boar, griffin, horse or eagle.{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2008|p=26}} The precise meaning of these variations is unclear.{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2008|p=26}}

As the coins' legends contain no information regarding the status of these characters, it is difficult to analyze them.{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=831}} The unbearded youngster is usually understood as being the crown prince Bahram III,{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2008|p=25}}{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}} while the female figure is usually labelled as Bahram II's queen Shapurdukhtak, who was his cousin.{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=11}}{{sfn|Schindel|2013|p=831}}{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2008|p=26}} If the supposition is correct, this would make Bahram II the first (and last) shah to have coins minted of his family.{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=11}} According to the Iranologist [[Touraj Daryaee]], "this is an interesting feature of Bahram II in that he was very much concerned to leave a portrait of his family which incidentally gives us information about the court and the [[Persian people|Persian]] concept of the royal banquet (''bazm'')."{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=11}} The modern historian [[Jamsheed Choksy]] has attempted to establish that the female figure in reality illustrates the goddess [[Anahita]],{{efn|The worship of Anahita was popular under the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenids]] and Sasanians,{{sfn|Choksy|1989|p=131}} and she enjoyed the status of patron deity of the Sasanian dynasty.{{sfn|Choksy|1989|p=119}}}} whilst the unbearded youngster illustrates Verethragna.{{sfn|Curtis|Stewart|2008|p=26}} The reverse shows the traditional [[fire altar]] flanked by two attendants.{{sfn|Shahbazi|1988|pp=514–522}}
<gallery>
File:Coin of Bahram II with his queen, Shapurdukhtak.jpg|Drachma of Bahram II with his queen [[Shapurdukhtak]]
File:Silver coin of Bahram II (together with prince), struck at the Balkh mint.jpg|Drachma of Bahram II with his son and heir [[Bahram III]]
File:Bahram II, with Queen and Prince.jpg|Drachma of Bahram II with Shapurdukhtak and Bahram III
</gallery>