—for he was born during Anushirwan’s reign and entered life in his very time. Anushirwan outlived the Prophet’s birth by two years, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prided himself on those days, saying: “I was born in the age of the just king Khosrow; and a good name is one of the choicest possessions.”
The kings who preceded Anushirwan devoted their energy to cultivating the earth, dispensing justice among their subjects, safeguarding people’s health through sound governance, and granting generous benefactions. The traces of the structures they erected are still visible across the world; every region is known by the name of its ruler, for they settled the lands, built villages and farms, dug canals and workshops, and uncovered what was hidden of subterranean springs. All of this Anushirwan furthered through his justice and equity, while avoiding extravagance through his personal restraint.
Anecdote: It is said that Anushirwan the Just once pretended to be ill. He sent out his surveyors and trusted officers to traverse every corner of his dominion, instructing them to procure for him an ancient brick from a ruined village as a supposed remedy the physicians had prescribed. They went, toured the entire realm, and returned, saying, “We have found no ruined place and not a single old brick.” Anushirwan rejoiced, thanked his Lord, and said, “I only sought this in order to test my province, examine my kingdom, and discover whether any ruined spot remained for me to restore. Now no place remains but that it is thriving; the affairs of the kingdom are complete, conditions are orderly, and development has reached its fullest perfection.”
Know, then, that those ancient kings directed their efforts and aspirations toward ensuring the prosperity of their territories after them. It is related that the more flourishing the province, the more loyal and grateful its populace. They were certain—beyond any doubt—of the truth of the maxim proclaimed by scholars and stated by sages: “Religion is upheld by the state, the state by the army, the army by wealth, wealth by cultivating the land, and the cultivation of the land by establishing justice among the people.”
Accordingly, they never agreed to injustice or oppression, nor did they allow their retainers to act with recklessness and violence. They knew that subjects cannot remain under tyranny: when oppressors gain control, the towns fall into ruin, the inhabitants scatter and flee to other realms, the kingdom contracts, revenues decline, the treasuries are emptied of funds, and the people’s lives grow wretched.