Aspbed (also spelled Aspbad and asppat; literally “commander of the cavalry”, from
Old Iranian
The Iranian languages or Iranic languages are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family that are spoken natively by the Iranian peoples, predominantly in the Iranian Plateau.
The Iranian languages are grouped ...
*''aspa-pati-''), was a title of Iranian origin used by the
Parthian and
Sasanian
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
empires.
History
The word is first attested in an ''
ostracon
An ostracon (Greek: ''ostrakon'', plural ''ostraka'') is a piece of pottery, usually broken off from a vase or other earthenware vessel. In an archaeological or epigraphical context, ''ostraca'' refer to sherds or even small pieces of sto ...
'' from the ancient Parthian city
Nisa, where it says; “Tirdat, great aspbed, chief commander of the cavalry”. This office was most likely one of the highest ones in the Parthian army, which had its main strength from the cavalry. The Armenian office of ''
aspet'', is derived from the ''aspbed'' office. The powerful
House of Suren
House of Suren or Surenas.. ( Parthian: 𐭎𐭅𐭓𐭉𐭍 Surēn, Middle Persian: 𐭮𐭥𐭫𐭩𐭭) is one of two Parthian noble families explicitly mentioned by name in sources dateable to the Arsacid period..
History
The head of Sure ...
, which had its allowance of crowning the Parthian kings, also had many members which held the title of ''aspbed''.
The title was also used by the successors of the Parthians, the Sasanians, which is written down in one of the inscriptions of king
Shapur I
Shapur I (also spelled Shabuhr I; pal, 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩, Šābuhr ) was the second Sasanian King of Kings of Iran. The dating of his reign is disputed, but it is generally agreed that he ruled from 240 to 270, with his father Ardas ...
(r. 240–270), which mentions a certain Peroz holding the title. However, the title was not as important as it was in the Parthian period, and it was probably later held by the ''
asvaran salar'' (“chief of the cavalry”).
It is recorded (in pal, 𐭠𐭮𐭯𐭯𐭲𐭩 ʾsppty) in a seal belonging to a certain Weh-Shapur, a ''
spahbed
''Spāhbed'' (also spelled ''spahbod'' and ''spahbad'') is a Middle Persian title meaning "army chief" used chiefly in the Sasanian Empire. Originally there was a single ''spāhbed'', called the , who functioned as the generalissimo of the Sasani ...
'' of
Khosrow I
Khosrow I (also spelled Khosrau, Khusro or Chosroes; pal, 𐭧𐭥𐭮𐭫𐭥𐭣𐭩; New Persian: []), traditionally known by his epithet of Anushirvan ( [] "the Immortal Soul"), was the Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from ...
.
See also
*
Spahbed
''Spāhbed'' (also spelled ''spahbod'' and ''spahbad'') is a Middle Persian title meaning "army chief" used chiefly in the Sasanian Empire. Originally there was a single ''spāhbed'', called the , who functioned as the generalissimo of the Sasani ...
References
Sources
* {{cite encyclopedia , article = Aspbed , last = Chaumont , first = M. L. , url = http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/aspbed-older-asppat-from-oir , editor-last = , editor-first = , editor-link = , encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. II, Fasc. 8 , pages = 791–792 , location = , publisher = , year = 1987 , isbn =
Military ranks
Parthian titles and offices
Positions of authority
Sasanian military offices