Examines a pivotal period in the history of Europe and the Near East. Spanning the ancient and medieval worlds, This title investigates the shared ideal of sacred kingship that emerged in the late Roman and Persian empires.

“This book is a true tour de force in the scholarship of the late ancient world. Canepa has bridged the traditional divide between Classical and Iranian studies to illuminate the long-running artistic dialogue between the late Roman and Sasanian Empires. Every chapter offers exciting new insights into the development of late antique art and rituals of power."—Joel Walker, author of The Legend of Mar Qardagh: Narrative and Christian Heroism in Late Antique Iraq

" The Two Eyes of the Earth is a masterly synthesis of a theme of the utmost importance for the political culture of the late antique world."—Peter Brown, author of Power and Persuasion

This pioneering study examines a pivotal period in the history of Europe and the Near East. Spanning the ancient and medieval worlds, it investigates the shared ideal of sacred kingship that emerged in the late Roman and Persian empires. Bridging the traditional divide between classical and Iranian history, this book brings to life the dazzling courts of two global powers that deeply affected the cultures of medieval Europe, Byzantium, Islam, South Asia, and China.