Azadan: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Class of Iranian nobles}} |
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#REDIRECT [[Aradan, Iran]] |
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{{italic title}} |
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[[Image:Bishapur relief of Sasanian cavalry (1).jpg|thumb|[[Sasanian]]-era [[rock relief]] in [[Bishapur]] depicting cavalrymen, who were generally drawn from the ranks of the ''azadan'' and ''[[wuzurgan]]'']] |
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The '''''Azadan''''' ([[Middle Persian]]: {{transl|pal|āzādān}}, [[Parthian language|Parthian]]: {{transl|xpr|āzātān}}; meaning 'free' and 'noble') were a class of [[Iran]]ian nobles. They are probably identical to the {{transl|el|eleutheroi}} ('the free ones') mentioned in [[Greek language|Greek]] sources to refer to a group of [[Parthian Empire|Parthian]] nobles.{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}}{{sfn|Wiesehöfer|2001|p=139}} According to the 1st-century [[Roman Jews|Romano-Jewish]] historian [[Josephus]] (died 100 AD), the [[Parthian army]] led by prince [[Pacorus I]] during the [[Pompeian–Parthian invasion of 40 BC|invasion of Judea]] consisted of members of the {{transl|el|eleutheroi}}.{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}} The [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]] adopted the same hierarchy as that of the Parthians, which included the {{transl|pal|azadan}} class ({{transl|hy|[[azat]]}}), which was used to label the Armenian middle and lower nobility.{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}}{{sfn|Romeny|2010|p=267}} The name of the [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]n nobility, {{transl|ka|[[Aznauri]]}}, also corresponded to that of {{transl|pal|azadan}}.{{sfn|Chkeidze|2001|pp=486–490}} A class of {{transl|pal|azadan}} are also attested in [[Sogdia]], an Iranian civilization located in [[Central Asia]].{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}} |
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The [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanians]], who supplanted the Parthians in 224, maintained the same divisions of the nobility as their predecessor.{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}} Under the Sasanians, the {{transl|pal|azadan}} were members of the lower nobility and the last class-rank of the four types of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] nobility. The four ranks consisted of the {{transl|pal|shahrdaran}} (vassal kings and dynasts), the {{transl|pal|[[wispuhran]]}} (princes of royal blood), the {{transl|pal|[[wuzurgan]]}} (grandees) and the {{transl|pal|azadan}} (lower nobility).{{sfn|Wiesehöfer|2001|p=171}}{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=10}}{{sfn|Shaki|1991|pp=652–658}} The {{transl|pal|azadan}} and {{transl|pal|wuzurgan}} formed the bulk of the cavalry ({{transl|pal|[[aswaran]]}}), which in turn formed the backbone of the [[Sasanian army]].{{sfn|McDonough|2013|p=604}}{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=45}} The {{transl|pal|azadan}} were analogous to the [[knight]]s of [[Medieval Europe]].{{sfn|Daryaee|2014|p=121}} |
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The {{transl|pal|azadan}} are first attested in the bilingual Hajjiabad inscription of the [[King of Kings]] ({{transl|pal|[[shah]]anshah}}) [[Shapur I]] ({{reign|240|270}}):{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}}{{sfn|Wiesehöfer|2001|p=171}} |
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{{Blockquote|This is the range of the arrow shot by Us, the Mazda-worshipping god Shapur, the king of kings of Eran and Aneran, whose origin is from the gods, the son of the Mazda-worshipping god Ardashir, the king of kings of Eran, whose origin is from the gods, the grandson of the god Pabag, the king. And when we shot this arrow, we were shooting before the kings [landholders; {{transl|pal|shahrdaran}}], the princes [{{transl|pal|wispuhran}}], the grandees [{{transl|pal|wuzurgan}}] and the nobles [{{transl|pal|azadan}}].}} |
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They are later mentioned in the [[Paikuli inscription]] of 293, erected by Shapur I's grandson [[Narseh]] ({{reign|271|293}}), who mentions the {{transl|pal|azadan}} along with other groups of the nobility. They are likewise mentioned in the inscription of [[Shapur II]] ({{reign|309|379}}) at [[Meshkinshahr]]. According to the 5th-century [[Byzantine Armenia]]n historian [[Faustus of Byzantium]], the {{transl|pal|azadan}} formed the bulk of Shapur II's royal bodyguard regiment.{{sfn|Toumanoff|Chaumont|1987|pp=169–170}} |
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== References == |
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{{reflist|2}} |
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== Sources == |
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* {{Encyclopædia Iranica | volume = 10 | fascicle = 5 | title = Georgia v. Linguistic contacts with Iranian languages | last = Chkeidze | first = Thea | url = https://iranicaonline.org/articles/georgia-v- | pages = 486–490 }} |
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* {{cite book | title = Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire | year = 2014 | publisher = I.B.Tauris | last = Daryaee| first = Touraj | author-link = Touraj Daryaee | pages = 1–240 | isbn = 978-0857716668 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=LU0BAwAAQBAJ }} |
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* {{cite book |first1=Scott |last1=McDonough |editor1-last=Campbell|editor1-first=Brian |editor2-first=Lawrence A. |editor2-last= Tritle |title=The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World |date=2013 |publisher=Oxford University Press |chapter=Military and Society in Sasanian Iran|pages=1–783|isbn=9780195304657|chapter-url=https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195304657.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780195304657-e-31}} |
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* {{cite book|last=Romeny|first=R. B. ter Haar|title=Religious Origins of Nations?: The Christian Communities of the Middle East|date=2010|publisher=Brill|isbn=9789004173750|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZxDi924k4RIC}} |
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* {{Encyclopædia Iranica | volume = 5 | fascicle = 6 | title = Class System iii. In the Parthian and Sasanian Periods | last = Shaki | first = Mansour | url = https://iranicaonline.org/articles/class-system-iii | pages = 652–658 }} |
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* {{cite book | title = Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550–330 BCE | year = 2014 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | last = Waters | first = Matt | pages = 1–272 | isbn = 9781107652729 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=__xGAgAAQBAJ&q=false }} |
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* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | title = Āzād (Iranian Nobility) | last = Toumanoff | first = C. | author-link = Cyril Toumanoff | last2 = Chaumont |first2=M. L. | url = https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/azad-older-azat | volume = 3 | fascicle = 2 | pages = 169–170 }} |
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* {{cite book |last=Wiesehöfer |first=Josef |translator-last=Azodi |translator-first=Azizeh |year=2001 |title=Ancient Persia |publisher=I.B. Tauris |isbn=978-1-86064-675-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yFocMaM49SgC&q=false |author-link=Josef Wiesehöfer }} |
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* {{citation |last=Zakeri |first=Mohsen |date=1995 |title=Sasanid Soldiers in Early Muslim Society: The Origins of 'Ayyārān and Futuwwa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VfYnu5F20coC |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |isbn=9783447036528}} |
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[[Category:Social class in the Sasanian Empire]] |
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[[Category:Iranian nobility]] |
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[[Category:Parthian Empire]] |
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[[Category:Iranian words and phrases]] |
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Latest revision as of 06:36, 2 February 2024
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The Azadan (Middle Persian: āzādān, Parthian: āzātān; meaning 'free' and 'noble') were a class of Iranian nobles. They are probably identical to the eleutheroi ('the free ones') mentioned in Greek sources to refer to a group of Parthian nobles.[1][2] According to the 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian Josephus (died 100 AD), the Parthian army led by prince Pacorus I during the invasion of Judea consisted of members of the eleutheroi.[1] The Kingdom of Armenia adopted the same hierarchy as that of the Parthians, which included the azadan class (azat), which was used to label the Armenian middle and lower nobility.[1][3] The name of the Georgian nobility, Aznauri, also corresponded to that of azadan.[4] A class of azadan are also attested in Sogdia, an Iranian civilization located in Central Asia.[1]
The Sasanians, who supplanted the Parthians in 224, maintained the same divisions of the nobility as their predecessor.[1] Under the Sasanians, the azadan were members of the lower nobility and the last class-rank of the four types of the Sasanian nobility. The four ranks consisted of the shahrdaran (vassal kings and dynasts), the wispuhran (princes of royal blood), the wuzurgan (grandees) and the azadan (lower nobility).[5][6][7] The azadan and wuzurgan formed the bulk of the cavalry (aswaran), which in turn formed the backbone of the Sasanian army.[8][9] The azadan were analogous to the knights of Medieval Europe.[10]
The azadan are first attested in the bilingual Hajjiabad inscription of the King of Kings (shahanshah) Shapur I (r. 240–270):[1][5]
This is the range of the arrow shot by Us, the Mazda-worshipping god Shapur, the king of kings of Eran and Aneran, whose origin is from the gods, the son of the Mazda-worshipping god Ardashir, the king of kings of Eran, whose origin is from the gods, the grandson of the god Pabag, the king. And when we shot this arrow, we were shooting before the kings [landholders; shahrdaran], the princes [wispuhran], the grandees [wuzurgan] and the nobles [azadan].
They are later mentioned in the Paikuli inscription of 293, erected by Shapur I's grandson Narseh (r. 271–293), who mentions the azadan along with other groups of the nobility. They are likewise mentioned in the inscription of Shapur II (r. 309–379) at Meshkinshahr. According to the 5th-century Byzantine Armenian historian Faustus of Byzantium, the azadan formed the bulk of Shapur II's royal bodyguard regiment.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Toumanoff & Chaumont 1987, pp. 169–170.
- ^ Wiesehöfer 2001, p. 139.
- ^ Romeny 2010, p. 267.
- ^ Chkeidze 2001, pp. 486–490.
- ^ a b Wiesehöfer 2001, p. 171.
- ^ Daryaee 2014, p. 10.
- ^ Shaki 1991, pp. 652–658.
- ^ McDonough 2013, p. 604.
- ^ Daryaee 2014, p. 45.
- ^ Daryaee 2014, p. 121.
Sources
[edit]- Chkeidze, Thea (2001). "Georgia v. Linguistic contacts with Iranian languages". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume X/5: Geography IV–Germany VI. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 486–490. ISBN 978-0-933273-53-5.
- Daryaee, Touraj (2014). Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. I.B.Tauris. pp. 1–240. ISBN 978-0857716668.
- McDonough, Scott (2013). "Military and Society in Sasanian Iran". In Campbell, Brian; Tritle, Lawrence A. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Warfare in the Classical World. Oxford University Press. pp. 1–783. ISBN 9780195304657.
- Romeny, R. B. ter Haar (2010). Religious Origins of Nations?: The Christian Communities of the Middle East. Brill. ISBN 9789004173750.
- Shaki, Mansour (1991). "Class System iii. In the Parthian and Sasanian Periods". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume V/6: C̆ihrdād Nask–Class system V. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 652–658. ISBN 978-0-939214-73-0.
- Waters, Matt (2014). Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550–330 BCE. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–272. ISBN 9781107652729.
- Toumanoff, C.; Chaumont, M. L. (1987). "Āzād (Iranian Nobility)". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume III/2: Awāʾel al-maqālāt–Azerbaijan IV. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 169–170. ISBN 978-0-71009-114-7.
- Wiesehöfer, Josef (2001). Ancient Persia. Translated by Azodi, Azizeh. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-86064-675-1.
- Zakeri, Mohsen (1995), Sasanid Soldiers in Early Muslim Society: The Origins of 'Ayyārān and Futuwwa, Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, ISBN 9783447036528
