Nowadays, Shushandukht is a topic that is at the center of attention and debate in different areas. Its implications and repercussions are of great importance, which is why it is essential to analyze it from various perspectives. In this article, we will explore different aspects related to Shushandukht, examining its impact on society, its evolution over time and possible solutions or approaches that can be considered. This topic is of general interest and its relevance cannot be ignored, so it is crucial to understand it comprehensively to make informed decisions and foster a constructive dialogue about it.
Shushandukht (Middle Persian: 𐭱𐭩𐭱𐭩𐭭𐭲𐭥𐭤𐭲, romanized: Šīšīntūḥt, lit. 'Daughter of Susa'; Persian: شوشاندخت, romanized: Šušanduxt) was the Jewish wife of Yazdegerd I, the Sasanian emperor from 399-420, and mother of Bahram V, his successor. She was also said to be the daughter of the Exilarch (Middle Persian rēš-galūdag) Huna bar Nathan.[1][2] Shushandukht reputedly created the Jewish neighborhood of Jouybareh in Isfahan[3] and also established Jewish colonies in the cities of Susa and Shushtar in what is now Khuzestan province, Iran at the north of the Persian Gulf. The Iranologist Ernst Herzfeld (1879–1948) speculated that the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai in the city of Hamadan might be the tomb of Shushandukht.[4]
The narrative of a Jewish queen enhanced the life of Persian Jews even if Jewish communities existed in Isfahan long before this date according to earlier authors.[5] Aptin Khanbaghi notes that the Babylonian Talmud recounts that the Exilarch Huna bar Nathan interacted with Yazdegerd.[6] No daughter or Jewish empress is mentioned.
Simcha Gross writes that Shushandukht is mentioned in only one text, The Provincial Capitals of Ērānšahr (Middle Persian Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr). It is also the only Middle Persian text to "expressly acknowledge the institution of the exilarchate", and Gross argues she may be fictional, perhaps based on the figure of Esther. Gross says her story may date to the tenth or eleventh century, the "Iranian intermezzo", as a way to bolster the royal claims of local rulers.[7]