whatever has not been written by the great legislator (see Herbelot, _sub voc._).――A. T. [324] Zu-l-Ulum, “master of sciences,” was a title of Kaiván. [325] Nushirvan, called by the Arabs _Kesra_, by the Persians _Khosru_, is reckoned by some authors the 19th (by others the 20th) Persian king of the Sassáníán dynasty, which, according to different opinions, was composed of 31, 30, or 29 princes, and lasted 527, 500, or 431 years. Nushirvan reigned from 531 to 579 after J. C. He was called “the just:” from the outside of his palace to his room was drawn a chain, by the motion of which he could have notice of any complainant who wanted redress. He was victorious in the east and west of Asia; he destroyed the prophet _Mazdak_ (of whom see hereafter, section XV); he brought from India to Persia the fables of _Pilpay_, called _Anvarí Sohíli_, “the Canopian lights,” and a game similar to chess. During his reign Mohammed was born. Nushirvan’s favorite minister, _Buzerg-Mihr_, called also _Buzer-Jmihr_, was famous for virtue and wisdom; about both these personages a great number of marvellous and fabulous accounts forms the matter of favorite poems in the East.――A. T. [326] Ardeshir Babegan was the first king, and founder of the IVth dynasty of Persian kings, called the _Sasssáníáns_, or the _Khosroes_. His father was _Sassan_, a descendant of another _Sassan_, the son of _Bahman Isfendiar_, the 6th king of the IId Persian dynasty, called the _Kayánian_. The latter Sassan was reduced to a low station, having become the shepherd of _Babek_, a wealthy man, whose daughter he married;――he had by her a son named Ardeshir, who took the name of his maternal grandfather (which is to be noted as an Indian custom): hence he was called _Babegan_. He is identified with the Artaxerxes of the Greeks, a contemporary of the Roman emperor Commodus (A. D. 180-193). The epoch of his reign is one of the most uncertain points of Persian history. It may be fixed from the year 200 to 240 of the Christian era.――A. T.