Baca-Winters, Keenan. 2025. To walk in royal ways: The lives and legacies of Bōrān and Āzarmīgduxt. Old World: Journal of Ancient Africa and Eurasia. Brill 5(2). 1–33.
Amid the political turmoil and external threats that marked the final years of Ērānšahr, also known as the Sāsānian Empire, two sisters, Bōrān and Āzarmīgduxt, ascended the throne. While previous scholars have briefly touched upon these women, this paper examines the entire zeitgeist of their reigns, shedding light on their personalities, decisions, and the challenges they faced in a politically crumbling empire. By analyzing their responses to the broader political landscape of an Ērānšahr beset by civil war, a recent defeat by the Romans in the war of the seventh century CE, and the Islamic invasion, this paper reveals the complexities of Bōrān and Āzarmīgduxt’s leadership and their unwavering determination to navigate the tumultuous currents of their time. Through an exploration of primary sources, this paper offers a richer, more personal understanding of Bōrān and Āzarmīgduxt and their resilience in the fall of an empire established by their forefathers.
Abstract