He succeeded his father in the government, and it is recorded in the Târikh Ja’fari that he spent most of his time in the plains of Arabia. His queen was a descendant of Yusuf the veracious; he founded the city of Madâin [in reality two, Ctesiphon and Seleucia, on the opposite banks of the river], and built the iron bridge across the Tigris, which subsisted till the time of Kesra. Wais and Râmin* lived during his reign. Shâpûr was a magnanimous, wise, and just prince, always engaged in the acquisition of knowledge, and in the discussion of philosophical themes, till the time of his death. According to Hâfez Abru, he reigned forty-two years, but according to Hamdullah Mustoufi, about sixty years, which is an ugly discrepancy between these two great historians. His epithet was ‘golden.’ A few of his sayings are as follows: ‘Ignorance is a misfortune which meets with no reward.—Skill and prudence become manifest in conquering the difficulties of life.’ It is said that the mission of I’sa—o. w. p.—took place in his time.