53:
583:(247 BC – 224 AD) the existence of a proper classification of ranks is unknown, in comparison to the Sasanian royal inscriptions from the 3rd century AD when the aristocracy was divided into four or five ranks;
381:
930:
was moulded into influential "nobility of service" which became the backbone of the
Sasanian state. However, this measures of centralization caused the transfer of the power to the military (the
613:(householders). The Sasanian military organization was more sophisticated than the inherited Parthian system. The caste system wasn't rigid as in India, but the ruling officiers were mostly from
374:
367:
1354:
907:
1722:
355:
1704:
1657:
1629:
1602:
1579:
1555:
1528:
1507:
1487:
1057:
1742:
785:
of the most strategic border provinces, such as the province of
Armenia, were allowed a golden throne. In military campaigns the regional
941:
The
Sasanian social, administrative and military structure and system was inherited by the Medieval Islamic civilization, however, the
1747:
1737:
765:
was a provincional function practiced for a single or multiple provinces, but there is no evidence for a "quarter of the empire", as
1000:
864:. Some regions enjoyed considerable autonomy while other were militarily more important, for example the Adurbadagan facing the
1005:
40:
777:, like most imperial administration, was mostly patrimonial, and was passed down through a single family for generations. The
742:, meaning "guardian of the district", is an uncertain title, seemingly provincial military commanders or governors, while the
340:
1619:
800:
changed over the years, with smaller territorial units being part of the civil administration. In the early years the main
335:
841:
330:
945:
steadily disappeared depending on the region, as such in Iraq diminished and were replaced by Muslim frontier warriors
345:
103:
722:
was a military title strictly limited to the frontier marches and provinces. The least clear is the distinction with
1050:
The
Sasanian World through Georgian Eyes: Caucasia and the Iranian Commonwealth in Late Antique Georgian Literature
817:
874:
were granted the administration of the border provinces and were responsible for maintaining the security of the
350:
1571:
813:
1594:
Theophilus of Edessa's
Chronicle and the Circulation of Historical Knowledge in Late Antiquity and Early Islam
1727:
674:(550–486 BC) of the Achaemenid Empire. There is some uncertainty for the exact relationship between titles
325:
275:
1567:
Decline and fall of the
Sasanian empire: the Sasanian-Parthian confederacy and the Arab conquest of Iran
91:
209:
1332:
594:
510:(family title) for some Iranian families whose ancestor was a marzbān. The prominent Islamic scholar
294:
430:, warden of the marches, and by extension military commanders, in charge of border provinces of the
244:
1732:
1537:
506:
973:
655:
525:
251:
1700:
1653:
1625:
1598:
1588:
1575:
1551:
1524:
1503:
1483:
1348:
1053:
821:
576:
552:
544:
284:
131:
968:
938:
territories quasi-independent fiefs), and led to the eventual disintegration of the Empire.
861:
849:
533:
299:
125:
1473:
949:, while in Khorasan still had special privileges. In generally were replaced by the title
926:, but now generally considered for more central provinces. Also, the previous gentry rank
833:
805:
580:
435:
431:
44:
1202:
1137:
845:
529:
414:
402:
1716:
1643:
1615:
1611:
1516:
895:
151:
20:
962:
891:
875:
809:
735:
495:
309:
304:
237:
216:
145:
1694:
1647:
1635:
1592:
1565:
1541:
1497:
1477:
1667:
1547:
990:
887:
825:
470:
24:
915:
829:
770:
514:, whose formal name is given in Islamic sources as Nu'man ibn Thabit ibn Zuta
511:
289:
120:
115:
109:
85:
72:
67:
1499:
Sasanid
Soldiers in Early Muslim Society: The Origins of 'Ayyārān and Futuwwa
1340:
934:
gradually became more independent from the government, while the four large
911:
903:
899:
883:
837:
766:
731:
202:
182:
865:
853:
686:
671:
654:
can be dated to the
Parthian Empire, where in the frontier areas such as
599:
427:
258:
230:
195:
31:
890:, and holding the first line of defense against settled enemies such as
984:
879:
857:
680:
631:
466:
455:
168:
138:
78:
1521:
Sassanian Armies: the
Iranian Empire Early 3rd to Mid-7th Centuries AD
662:(marzban), probably an officier in charge of the frontier troops, and
1318:
994:
978:
605:
265:
223:
175:
97:
476:"protector". The word was borrowed from New Persian into Arabic as
52:
16:
Commanders of border provinces in the
Parthian and Sasanian Empires
585:
439:
1321:: W. Hinz, Altiranische Funde und Forschungen, pp. 229–262
1107:
1105:
666:, an officier in charge of a fort. Some scholars consider that
1260:
1258:
1256:
1254:
1252:
1092:
1090:
1453:
1451:
781:
of greatest seniority were permitted a silver throne, while
1378:
1376:
1696:
The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars AD 363-628
710:. The historical sources blur the distinction between the
993:, a noble title which was used in various South European
1296:
1294:
1292:
1203:"Class System III: In the Parthian and Sasanian Periods"
746:
meant "guardian of the borders, provinces". Perhaps the
1160:
1158:
1315:
Einige neuentdeckte Inschriften aus sasanidischer Zeit
1279:
1277:
1275:
1273:
1227:
1225:
1223:
635:), or were bodyguards and security forces with titles
1077:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1069:
579:(550–330 BC), but due to lack of sources even in the
617:
caste. There's a possibility that the Late Sasanian
878:, fighting the encroaching nomadic tribes such as
789:could be regarded as field marshals, while lesser
1693:Greatrex, Geoffrey; Lieu, Samuel N. C. (2005),
1264:
1096:
718:(army general or military governor), implying
418:
375:
8:
1337:The Sassanian Inscription of Paikuli III/1-2
1035:
647:, all signifying association with the king.
519:
499:
486:
477:
726:, apparently an East-Iranian derivation of
629:), supplied the cavalry with young riders (
1353:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
1111:
758:(province or district within a province).
382:
368:
36:
603:(magnates; "great ones"), lower nobility
1442:
1430:
1418:
1406:
1394:
1382:
1367:
1300:
1283:
1164:
1023:
1016:
987:, a similar Sassanid commandership rank
536:(919–1062 AD) dynasty rulers also used
317:
274:
159:
59:
39:
1570:, I.B. Tauris in association with the
1457:
1346:
1243:
1188:
1176:
524:), was descended from the marzbāns of
405:transliteration: mrzwpn, derived from
1672:Encyclopaedia Iranica, Online Edition
1207:Encyclopaedia Iranica, Online Edition
1142:Encyclopaedia Iranica, Online Edition
1136:Tafażżolī, Ahmad (15 December 1989).
922:in charge, sometimes still called as
860:, several mentioned belonging to the
625:, who mostly were lords of villages (
7:
1231:
1123:
1081:
543:The word marzban was borrowed into
520:
500:
487:
478:
419:
1621:Sassanian Elite Cavalry AD 224-642
1201:Shaki, Mansour (21 October 2011).
658:(1st century BC) are found titles
567:The ranks tradition (primarily of
528:, where his father came from. The
409:"border, boundary" and the suffix
14:
1649:Darius in the Shadow of Alexander
1723:Officials of the Sasanian Empire
1001:List of Iranian titles and ranks
51:
1564:Pourshariati, Parvaneh (2008),
1006:Military of the Sasanian Empire
981:, the governor of the provinces
868:was special military frontier.
521:نعمان بن ثابت بن زوطا بن مرزبان
1666:Gyselen, Rika (20 July 2004).
1597:, Liverpool University Press,
761:The primary sources imply the
609:(feudal nobles; freemen), and
19:For the villages in Iran, see
1:
1652:, Harvard University Press,
1502:, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag,
1048:Rapp, Stephen H. Jr (2014).
918:, Nemroz, Adurbadagan) with
793:could command a field army.
750:lacked civilian duties. The
670:existed during the reign of
1743:Parthian titles and offices
1479:The History of Ancient Iran
434:(247 BC–224 AD) and mostly
1764:
1265:Farrokh & McBride 2012
1097:Farrokh & McBride 2012
595:seven great noble families
29:
18:
1748:Persian words and phrases
1738:Sasanian military offices
1052:. Routledge. p. 57.
963:Muḥammad ibn al-Marzubani
621:also originated from the
1572:Iran Heritage Foundation
1523:, Stockport: Montvert,
1496:Zakeri, Mohsen (1995),
902:(531–579 AD) were held
754:was the governor of an
575:) can be traced to the
906:by which were created
898:. During the reign of
773:(629 AD). The rank of
589:(kings, landholders),
356:Revolts and civil wars
60:Armed forces and units
1624:, Osprey Publishing,
908:four frontier regions
504:) has been used as a
30:For the dessert, see
1191:, p. 11, 30-31.
461:"frontier, border";
295:Great Wall of Gorgan
1126:, p. 316, 224.
551:(մարզպան) and into
1589:Hoyland, Robert G.
1460:, p. 11, 110.
1333:Skjaervo, Prods O.
1114:, p. 138-139.
974:Marzpanate Armenia
532:(651–1349 AD) and
426:) were a class of
1706:978-1-134-75646-9
1659:978-0-674-74520-9
1631:978-1-78200-848-4
1604:978-1-84631-697-5
1581:978-1-84511-645-3
1557:978-1-86064-675-1
1538:Wiesehöfer, Josef
1530:978-1-874101-08-6
1509:978-3-447-03652-8
1489:978-3-406-09397-5
1433:, p. 53, 55.
1313:G. Gropp (1969),
1059:978-1-4724-2552-2
1036:Pourshariati 2008
577:Achaemenid Empire
450:The Persian word
392:
391:
285:Wall of the Arabs
132:Gond-i Shahanshah
1755:
1709:
1682:
1680:
1678:
1662:
1639:
1634:, archived from
1607:
1584:
1560:
1533:
1512:
1492:
1461:
1455:
1446:
1440:
1434:
1428:
1422:
1421:, p. 51-53.
1416:
1410:
1404:
1398:
1392:
1386:
1385:, p. 12-13.
1380:
1371:
1365:
1359:
1358:
1352:
1344:
1343:, pp. 38–39
1329:
1323:
1322:
1310:
1304:
1298:
1287:
1281:
1268:
1262:
1247:
1241:
1235:
1229:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1213:
1198:
1192:
1186:
1180:
1174:
1168:
1162:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1133:
1127:
1121:
1115:
1109:
1100:
1094:
1085:
1079:
1064:
1063:
1045:
1039:
1033:
1027:
1021:
969:List of marzbans
904:military reforms
862:Greater Khorasan
796:The function of
730:in the province
523:
522:
503:
502:
490:
489:
481:
480:
465:is cognate with
454:is derived from
438:(224–651 AD) of
422:
421:
384:
377:
370:
300:Wall of Tammisha
217:Eran anbaraghbad
210:Pushtigban Salar
126:Sogdian warriors
55:
37:
1763:
1762:
1758:
1757:
1756:
1754:
1753:
1752:
1713:
1712:
1707:
1692:
1689:
1687:Further reading
1676:
1674:
1665:
1660:
1642:
1632:
1610:
1605:
1587:
1582:
1563:
1558:
1536:
1531:
1515:
1510:
1495:
1490:
1474:Frye, Richard N
1472:
1469:
1464:
1456:
1449:
1441:
1437:
1429:
1425:
1417:
1413:
1405:
1401:
1393:
1389:
1381:
1374:
1366:
1362:
1345:
1331:
1330:
1326:
1312:
1311:
1307:
1299:
1290:
1282:
1271:
1263:
1250:
1242:
1238:
1230:
1221:
1211:
1209:
1200:
1199:
1195:
1187:
1183:
1175:
1171:
1163:
1156:
1146:
1144:
1135:
1134:
1130:
1122:
1118:
1112:Wiesehöfer 2001
1110:
1103:
1095:
1088:
1080:
1067:
1060:
1047:
1046:
1042:
1034:
1030:
1022:
1018:
1014:
959:
581:Parthian Empire
565:
540:in their name.
448:
436:Sasanian Empire
432:Parthian Empire
388:
45:Sasanian Empire
43:
41:Military of the
35:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1761:
1759:
1751:
1750:
1745:
1740:
1735:
1730:
1728:Military ranks
1725:
1715:
1714:
1711:
1710:
1705:
1688:
1685:
1684:
1683:
1663:
1658:
1644:Briant, Pierre
1640:
1630:
1616:McBride, Angus
1612:Farrokh, Kaveh
1608:
1603:
1585:
1580:
1561:
1556:
1543:Ancient Persia
1534:
1529:
1517:Nicolle, David
1513:
1508:
1493:
1488:
1468:
1465:
1463:
1462:
1447:
1435:
1423:
1411:
1399:
1387:
1372:
1360:
1324:
1305:
1288:
1269:
1248:
1236:
1234:, p. 224.
1219:
1193:
1181:
1169:
1154:
1128:
1116:
1101:
1086:
1084:, p. 316.
1065:
1058:
1040:
1038:, p. 503.
1028:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1009:
1008:
1003:
998:
988:
982:
976:
971:
966:
958:
955:
593:(princes; the
564:
561:
447:
444:
415:Modern Persian
403:Middle Persian
390:
389:
387:
386:
379:
372:
364:
361:
360:
359:
358:
353:
348:
343:
338:
333:
331:Arabian tribes
328:
320:
319:
315:
314:
313:
312:
307:
302:
297:
292:
287:
279:
278:
272:
271:
270:
269:
262:
255:
248:
245:Savaran Sardar
241:
234:
227:
220:
213:
206:
199:
186:
179:
172:
162:
161:
157:
156:
155:
154:
149:
142:
135:
128:
123:
118:
113:
106:
101:
94:
89:
82:
75:
70:
62:
61:
57:
56:
48:
47:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1760:
1749:
1746:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1734:
1731:
1729:
1726:
1724:
1721:
1720:
1718:
1708:
1702:
1699:, Routledge,
1698:
1697:
1691:
1690:
1686:
1673:
1669:
1664:
1661:
1655:
1651:
1650:
1645:
1641:
1638:on 2016-03-04
1637:
1633:
1627:
1623:
1622:
1617:
1613:
1609:
1606:
1600:
1596:
1595:
1590:
1586:
1583:
1577:
1573:
1569:
1568:
1562:
1559:
1553:
1549:
1545:
1544:
1539:
1535:
1532:
1526:
1522:
1518:
1514:
1511:
1505:
1501:
1500:
1494:
1491:
1485:
1481:
1480:
1475:
1471:
1470:
1466:
1459:
1454:
1452:
1448:
1445:, p. 55.
1444:
1439:
1436:
1432:
1427:
1424:
1420:
1415:
1412:
1409:, p. 53.
1408:
1403:
1400:
1397:, p. 12.
1396:
1391:
1388:
1384:
1379:
1377:
1373:
1370:, p. 14.
1369:
1364:
1361:
1356:
1350:
1342:
1338:
1334:
1328:
1325:
1320:
1316:
1309:
1306:
1303:, p. 13.
1302:
1297:
1295:
1293:
1289:
1285:
1280:
1278:
1276:
1274:
1270:
1266:
1261:
1259:
1257:
1255:
1253:
1249:
1245:
1240:
1237:
1233:
1228:
1226:
1224:
1220:
1208:
1204:
1197:
1194:
1190:
1185:
1182:
1179:, p. 30.
1178:
1173:
1170:
1167:, p. 10.
1166:
1161:
1159:
1155:
1143:
1139:
1132:
1129:
1125:
1120:
1117:
1113:
1108:
1106:
1102:
1098:
1093:
1091:
1087:
1083:
1078:
1076:
1074:
1072:
1070:
1066:
1061:
1055:
1051:
1044:
1041:
1037:
1032:
1029:
1026:, p. 46.
1025:
1020:
1017:
1011:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
996:
992:
989:
986:
983:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
964:
961:
960:
956:
954:
952:
948:
944:
939:
937:
933:
929:
925:
921:
917:
913:
909:
905:
901:
897:
893:
889:
885:
881:
880:Bedouin Arabs
877:
873:
869:
867:
863:
859:
855:
851:
847:
843:
839:
835:
831:
827:
823:
819:
815:
811:
807:
804:regions were
803:
799:
794:
792:
788:
784:
780:
776:
772:
768:
764:
759:
757:
753:
749:
745:
741:
737:
733:
729:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
697:
693:
689:
688:
683:
682:
677:
673:
669:
665:
661:
657:
653:
648:
646:
642:
638:
634:
633:
628:
624:
620:
616:
612:
608:
607:
602:
601:
596:
592:
588:
587:
582:
578:
574:
570:
562:
560:
559:(მარზაპანი).
558:
554:
550:
546:
541:
539:
535:
531:
527:
517:
513:
509:
508:
497:
493:
484:
475:
472:
468:
464:
460:
457:
453:
445:
443:
441:
437:
433:
429:
425:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
385:
380:
378:
373:
371:
366:
365:
363:
362:
357:
354:
352:
349:
347:
344:
342:
339:
337:
334:
332:
329:
327:
324:
323:
322:
321:
316:
311:
308:
306:
303:
301:
298:
296:
293:
291:
288:
286:
283:
282:
281:
280:
277:
276:Defense lines
273:
268:
267:
263:
261:
260:
256:
254:
253:
249:
247:
246:
242:
240:
239:
235:
233:
232:
228:
226:
225:
221:
219:
218:
214:
212:
211:
207:
205:
204:
200:
198:
197:
192:
191:
187:
185:
184:
180:
178:
177:
173:
171:
170:
166:
165:
164:
163:
158:
153:
150:
148:
147:
143:
141:
140:
136:
134:
133:
129:
127:
124:
122:
119:
117:
114:
112:
111:
107:
105:
102:
100:
99:
95:
93:
92:War elephants
90:
88:
87:
83:
81:
80:
76:
74:
71:
69:
66:
65:
64:
63:
58:
54:
50:
49:
46:
42:
38:
33:
26:
22:
21:Marzban, Iran
1695:
1675:. Retrieved
1671:
1648:
1636:the original
1620:
1593:
1566:
1542:
1520:
1498:
1482:, C.H.Beck,
1478:
1467:Bibliography
1443:Nicolle 1996
1438:
1431:Nicolle 1996
1426:
1419:Nicolle 1996
1414:
1407:Nicolle 1996
1402:
1395:Nicolle 1996
1390:
1383:Nicolle 1996
1368:Nicolle 1996
1363:
1336:
1327:
1314:
1308:
1301:Nicolle 1996
1284:Gyselen 2004
1267:, p. 8.
1239:
1210:. Retrieved
1206:
1196:
1184:
1172:
1165:Nicolle 1996
1145:. Retrieved
1141:
1131:
1119:
1099:, p. 6.
1049:
1043:
1031:
1024:Hoyland 2011
1019:
965:(ca.910-994)
950:
946:
942:
940:
935:
931:
927:
923:
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810:Beth Aramaye
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736:Central Asia
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610:
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584:
572:
568:
566:
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516:ibn Marzubān
515:
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491:
482:
473:
462:
458:
451:
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423:
413:"guardian";
410:
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351:Muslim Arabs
336:Hephthalites
305:Derbent Wall
264:
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84:
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1548:I.B. Tauris
1458:Zakeri 1995
1244:Briant 2015
1189:Zakeri 1995
1177:Zakeri 1995
888:Oghuz Turks
826:Adurbadagan
698:, Sasanian
471:Old Persian
25:Pir Marzban
1733:Marquesses
1717:Categories
1138:"Bozorgān"
1012:References
916:Khwarwaran
884:White Huns
830:Tabaristan
694:(Parthian
650:The title
512:Abu Hanifa
346:Ethiopians
290:Gawri Wall
252:Gond Salar
121:Daylamites
116:Sarmatians
110:Pushtigban
86:Grivpanvar
73:Clibanarii
68:Cataphract
1668:"Spāhbed"
1341:Wiesbaden
1232:Frye 1984
1124:Frye 1984
1082:Frye 1984
997:countries
912:Khwarasan
900:Khosrow I
771:Šahrwarāz
769:entitled
767:al-Masudi
748:pāygōsbān
740:pāygōsbān
732:Abarshahr
704:padhospān
700:paygospān
692:pāygōsbān
619:marzbānān
591:vāspuhrān
586:šahrdārān
569:vāspuhrān
557:marzapani
501:المرزباني
463:pān/pāvan
446:Etymology
428:margraves
318:Conflicts
203:Masmughan
183:Paygosban
104:Immortals
1677:22 April
1646:(2015),
1618:(2012),
1591:(2011),
1540:(2001),
1519:(1996),
1476:(1984),
1349:citation
1335:(1983),
1212:23 April
1147:23 April
957:See also
951:dihqānān
947:muqātila
943:marzbāns
932:dihqānān
928:dihqānān
872:Marzbāns
866:Caucasus
842:Sakastan
834:Nishapur
791:spāhbeds
787:marzbāns
783:marzbāns
779:marzbāns
752:ostāndār
724:kanārang
708:ostāndār
696:ptykwspn
687:kanārang
672:Darius I
668:marzbāns
645:jānbāzān
637:bandagān
627:dihqānān
615:wuzurgān
600:wuzurgān
553:Georgian
545:Armenian
538:marzubān
534:Sallarid
492:marāziba
485:(plural
483:marzubān
259:Darigbed
231:Hazarbed
196:Kanarang
32:Marzipan
985:Spahbed
936:spāhbed
924:marzbān
920:spāhbed
896:Kushans
858:Sarakhs
806:Armenia
802:marzbān
798:marzbān
775:marzbān
763:marzbān
744:marzbān
728:marzbān
720:marzbān
716:spāhbed
712:marzbān
681:spāhbed
676:marzbān
652:marzbān
641:ayyārān
632:asbārān
563:History
549:marzpan
467:Avestan
456:Avestan
424:Marzbān
399:Marzpān
395:Marzbān
190:Marzban
169:Spahbed
139:Darigan
79:Aswaran
1703:
1656:
1628:
1601:
1578:
1554:
1527:
1506:
1486:
1319:Berlin
1056:
995:Balkan
979:Satrap
892:Romans
822:Spahan
818:Kirman
738:. The
706:) and
664:dyzpty
660:mrzwpn
623:āzādān
606:āzādān
573:āzādān
530:Bavand
488:مرازبة
479:مرزبان
459:marəza
420:مرزبان
326:Romans
310:Darial
266:Navbed
224:Argbed
176:Aspbed
98:Paygan
850:Harev
846:Mazun
756:ostān
526:Kabul
507:nisba
397:, or
341:Turks
160:Ranks
1701:ISBN
1679:2015
1654:ISBN
1626:ISBN
1599:ISBN
1576:ISBN
1552:ISBN
1525:ISBN
1504:ISBN
1484:ISBN
1355:link
1214:2015
1149:2015
1054:ISBN
894:and
886:and
856:and
854:Marv
814:Pars
714:and
656:Nisa
571:and
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469:and
452:marz
440:Iran
411:-pān
407:marz
152:Navy
23:and
991:Ban
838:Tus
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