Aspbed (also spelled Aspbad and asppat; literally “commander of the cavalry”, from

Old Iranian The Iranian languages, also called the 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 language ...

*''aspa-pati-''), was a title of Iranian origin used by the

Parthian Parthian may refer to: Historical * Parthian people * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery sk ...

and

Sasanian The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...

empires.

History

The word is first attested in an ''

ostracon An ostracon (Greek language, Greek: ''ostrakon'', plural ''ostraka'') is a piece of pottery, usually broken off from a vase or other earthenware vessel. In an archaeology, archaeological or epigraphy, epigraphical context, ''ostraca'' refer ...

'' 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; ) was the second Sasanian Empire, Sasanian King of Kings of Iran. The precise dating of his reign is disputed, but it is generally agreed that he ruled from 240 to 270, with his father Ardashir I as co-regent u ...

(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 ʾsppty) in a seal belonging to a certain Weh-Shapur, a ''

spahbed ''Spāhbad'' (also spelled ''spahbod'') is a Middle Persian title meaning "army chief" used chiefly in the Sasanian Empire. Originally there was a single ''spāhbad'', called the , who functioned as the generalissimo of the Military of the Sasani ...

'' of

Khosrow I Khosrow I (also spelled Khosrau, Khusro or Chosroes; ), traditionally known by his epithet of Anushirvan ("the Immortal Soul"), was the Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 531 to 579. He was the son and successor of Kavad I (). Inheriting a rei ...

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

History

See also

References

Sources