Mani (prophet)

A date reconstructed twice over

The 2 March 274 in this entry comes from reconciling an Old Turkish colophon and Chinese chronology with an older chronology of the Sasanian kings.

Manichaean tradition itself preserves only a Monday, the fourth day of Adar in early spring — no unambiguous Common Era year. Revised Sasanian chronology places Bahram I's reign at 274–277 and makes a death near its end more likely, so roughly February 277 is the better-supported placement.

Arrested after a humiliating audience

When Bahram I came to power, Zoroastrian clergy accused Mani; Encyclopaedia Iranica identifies the high priest Kerdir as the moving force behind the campaign at court.

Mani defied a ban by appearing at the royal centre at Beth Lapat in Khuzestan. He was made to wait beside a watch-post while the king finished eating and left to hunt, endured a humiliating audience, and was arrested.

He wrote one last work in chains, the Letter of the Seal. The traditional 26 days of imprisonment may be a hagiographically stylized number.

Died in prison, mutilated after

Critical analysis of the Manichaean sources concludes that Mani died in prison rather than being executed alive. The famous story that he was flayed alive is not historically secure; postmortem decapitation and display of his head are much better supported.

His followers installed Mar Sisin as successor, handing over Mani's Gospel, the illustrated Ardhang, his garment and his walking stick as tokens of office.