Savārān Cavalry

The Aswārān (singular aswār), also spelled Asbārān and Savaran, was a cavalry force that formed the backbone of the army of the Sasanian Empire. They were provided by the aristocracy, were heavily armored, and ranged from archers to cataphracts.

Etymology

The word comes from the Old Persian word ''asabāra'' (from ''asa''- and ''bar'', a frequently used Achaemenid military technical term). The various other renderings of the word are the following: Parthian ''asbār'' (spelt ''spbr'' or ''SWSYN''), Middle Persian ''aswār'' (spelt ''ʼswbʼl'' or ''SWSYA''), Classical Persian ''suwār'' (), ''uswār''/''iswār'' (), Modern Persian ''savār'' (). The Arabic word ''asāwira'' (), used to refer to a certain faction of the Sasanian cavalry after the Muslim conquest, is a broken plural form of the Middle Persian ''aswār''. However, the word ''aswār'' only means "horseman" in Middle Persian literature, and it is only the late Arabic term that has a more specialized meaning. In the Sassanian inscriptions, the formula ''asp ud mard'' (literally "horse and man") was commonly used to collectively refer to the cavalry and the infantry of the military.

Organization

The aswaran were primarily composed of Iranian aristocrats from the ''wuzurgan'' and the ''azadan'', with members of the staff being from the former. After the reforms of Khosraw I, warriors from the ''dehqan'' class would also be enlisted.

The ''asbaran'' have often been demonstrated as an example of existence of feudalism in Iran by modern scholars, who simply refer them as either chevalier, knight, or ritter. According to historians such as Christensen and Widengren, the ''asbar'' had the same status as the knight. However, although the ''asbaran'' and knight resemble each other in many parts, the economic role and historical role of the knight is very different compared to the role of the ''asbaran'' in the Sasanian Empire, which thus makes it incorrect to refer the ''asbaran'' as knights.

The highest annual salary for each cavalryman was 4,000 dirhams.

Weaponry, armor, and tactics

The aswaran wore chainmail armor, and ranged from archers to cataphracts. They assumed a description with the bravery, tactics, and ethics of the Sasanians. They mastered in single combat in battles ('' mard o-mard''), rode on elephants and horses, and their valor was recognized with ornamental emblems. Titles such as ''hazārmard'' ("whose strength is equal to one thousand men"), ''zih asbār'' ("superior rider"), and ''pahlawān-i gēhān'' ("hero or champion of the world"), were their epithets. They wrote the name of the Sasanian emperor and their valuable family members on their arrows as a good omen. They outperformed others in archery to the extent that later writers thought that they had introduced the profession. They were superior and unmatched in the profession, which was even acknowledged by their enemies. The major effectiveness of the Sasanian cavalry was noted by contemporaneous Roman writers, including Ammianus Marcellinus, and led the Romans to adopt aspects of Sasanian cavalry including their arms, armour, and techniques.

Armor

The ''asbaran'' during this early period had much in common with their Parthian (Arsacid) predecessors, most of whom would have worn a scale armor cuirass with long sleeves and chaps covered in scale armor or, less often, plated mail. Their helmets, of the Spangenhelm type, would have been adapted throughout the Sasanian period. Also horses would probably have had armored chests and heads, consisting of an apron and headpiece, or total body protection consisting of five separate pieces, made from either boiled leather or scale armor. Some ''asbaran'' units such as mercenaries may have worn little to no armor at all, allowing them to be rather more swift, silent, and mobile.

Spangenhelm

The Spangenhelm helmets worn by members of the ''asbaran'' units in battle would have evolved through the centuries. During the 3rd to 6th century AD of the Sassanian empire, the ''Spangenhelm '' would have probably been made of felt and hardened leather. However, by the late 6th to early 7th century AD, they would have been decorated with flowers and purple ball with mail and small areas through which to breathe and see.

Weaponry

The ''asbaran'' cavalry was armed with a variety of weapons. The traditional heavy cavalry weapons, such as maces, lances, and swords would have been used, as well as a variety of other weapons, such as axes. ''Asbaran'' cavalry were not, however, restricted to short-range weapons, as they often carried weapons such as darts and bows.

The Sasanian cavalry's weaponry has been listed by Libanius as darts, sabres (scimitars?), spears, swords and "a lance which needed both hands". The ''nawak'' arrow-guide was used to launch long darts.

During Khosrow I's military reforms under Babak, a "list" for equipment for the cavalry was written. According to the Arabic and Persian sources of the Islamic period, the pieces of equipment () for a regular Sasanian cavalryman were as follows:

The Sasanian lance was based on the long Parthian '' kontos'' that featured a sword-like iron blade.

Face masks were used since at least the 4th century AD.

The horse-armor covered the torso (with an oval opening for the rider's seat), as well as the head and neck. Before stirrups came into widespread use, the riders relied on a saddle with "four horn" design for their stability. The Sasanian cavalry was relying more on maneuverability than their Parthian predecessors.

The late ''aswaran'' reportedly also used a device called ''panjagan'' which was supposedly able to fire a volley of five arrows.

Banner

Each ''asbaran'' unit would have a Drafsh, or heraldric standard. These would have often included legendary creatures and animals. These animals would have included elephants, horses, bears, lions, and deer (''ahu''); these banners would also include Zoroastrian mythological creatures such as ''Bashkuch'' and the army of ''Asbaran'' would have the Derafsh Kaviani as their banner.

Some ''aswaran'' members with superior bravery, character, and equestrian skills were receiving honorary bracelets, recorded in Islamic sources as ''suwārī'', with the wearer being called a ''musawwar''.

Elite Aswaran

The ''aswaran sardar'' were high-ranking officers who were in charge of the ''aswaran'', their position was so high up in Sasanian society that they were only answerable to the Eran-Spahbad (Commander in Chief) and the Emperor himself. They would be guarded heavily by cataphract style cavalry. The post of ''aswaran sardar'' was held by a member of the House of Mihran. Parts of the ''aswaran'' division were high-ranking including the Pushtigban Body Guards, a super heavy shock cavalry, who were the royal guards of the Shah himself. The influential ''aswaran'' cavalry were mostly made up of heavily armoured cavalry, generally composed of aristocracy or even from the imperial family themselves. There were also commanders who were elite as well. These parts of the ''aswaran'' regiments were kept as reserves.

After the fall of the Sasanians

Most of the ''asbaran'' was disbanded after suffering defeat and conquest during the Muslim conquest of Persia. However, several factions of the ''asbaran'', each faction led by a different leader, defected to the Arabs in order to preserve their status and wealth. These ''asbaran'' factions settled in various places in the newly established Muslim territories, where they each become known by several names, the most known and prominent faction being the ''asawira'', who under their leader Siyah settled in the newly established settlement of Basra.

After the Ghaznavid invasion of the Indian subcontinent, the term Aswar and later Sawar or Sowar is used to denote the rank of cavalry troops during the time of the Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire, British Raj and currently the cavalry troops of India and Pakistan.

See also

* Cataphract
* Clibanarii
* Asawira
* Sasanian army
* Byzantine army
* Late Roman army
* Roman-Persian Wars
* Persian war elephants
* Aspbed
* Spahbed
*Furusiyya
*Zhayedan

References

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* {{Cite web , title=History of Iran: Sassanian Army , url=https://www.iranchamber.com/history/sassanids/sassanian_army.php , access-date=2022-09-12 , website=www.iranchamber.com

External links

History of Iran: Sassanian Army

Savārān - Google Search



Cavalry units and formations of the Sassanian Empire