Isdigerd was a bitter and successful persecutor of Christianity, which he--for a time at any rate--stamped out, both from his own proper dominions, and from the newly-acquired province of Armenia.

He would have preferred less violent means; but, when they failed, he felt no scruples in employing the extremest and severest coercion.

He was determined on uniformity; and uniformity he secured, but at the cost of crushing a people, and so alienating them as to make it certain that they would, on the first convenient occasion, throw off the Persian yoke altogether.
The coins of Isdigerd II.

nearly resemble those of his father, Varahran V., differing only in the legend, and in the fact that the mural crown of Isdigerd is complete.

The legend is remarkably short, being either _Masdisn kadi Tezdikerti_, or merely _Kadi Yezdikerti_--i.e."the Ormazd-worshipping great Isdigerd;" or "Isdigord the Great." The coins are not very numerous, and have three mint-marks only, which are interpreted to mean "Khuzistan," "Ctesiphon," and "Nehavend." [PLATE XXI., Fig.