Search

son of the Sasanian king Hormozd II (302-09 CE) and ruler for several months after his father. A version of this article is available in print Volume I, Fascicle 5, pp. 477 ĀDUR NARSEH, son of the Sasanian king Hormizd II (A.D. 302-9) and ruler for several months after his father. It is inferred from Byzantine historians (see Justi, Namenbuch, p. 3; Nöldeke, Geschichte der Perser, p. 51, n. 3) that Hormizd II had two sons, Hormizd and Ādur Narseh, by his first wife, and another son of unknown name. Ādur Narseh was made king in 309 but was deposed and killed b…

arabicized form of Syriac dhgnʾ, borrowed from Pahlavi dehgān (older form dahīgān). A version of this article is available in print Volume VII, Fascicle 2, pp. 223-224 and Vol. VII, Fasc. 3, p. 225-226 DEHQĀN, arabicized form of Syriac dhgnʾ (Margoliouth, p. 84a), borrowed from Pahlavi dehgān (older form dahīgān). The original meaning was “pertaining to deh"(< OPers. dahyu), the latter term not in the later sense of “village,” but in the original sense of “land.” i. IN THE SASANIAN PERIOD The term dehqān was used in the late Sasanian period to designate a class of landed magnates ( Mojmal, ed…

in the traditional history, a Turanian hero of the army of Arjāsp. A version of this article is available in print Volume IV, Fascicle 3, pp. 246-247 BĪDERAFŠ (Pahl. Wīdrafš from OIr. * wi-drafša- “with unfurled banner”), Turanian hero of the army of Arjāsp. Bīderafš and Nāmḵᵛāst, another Turanian hero, were sent by Arjāsp, as envoys to the court of Goštāsp (Pahl. Wištāsp) with a message to persuade the latter to recant the new faith preached by Zoroaster ( Ayādgār ī Zarērān 4-12; Šāh-nāma, Moscow, VI, p. 73 vv. 125ff.). Goštāsp refused this request, and Arjāsp repudiated the …

designation of the geographical “west” in Modern Persian, but its Pahlavi equivalent abāxtar means “north,” probably borrowed from Parthian. A version of this article is available in print Volume III, Fascicle 5, pp. 539-540 BĀḴTAR, designation of the “west” in Modern Persian, but its Pahlavi equivalent abāxtar means “north,” probably borrowed from Parthian (cf. Man. Parth. abāxtar, see M. Boyce, A Reader in Manichean Middle Persian and Parthian, pp. 115-16); the Manichean Middle Persian word for “north” is abarag (ibid., pp. 62, 65, text y 4.14). It is derived from Av. apāxtara “nort…

(“The wonder and remarkability of Sagastān”), short Pahlavi treatise. A version of this article is available in print Volume I, Fascicle 2, pp. 210 ABDĪH UD SAHĪGĪH Ī SAGASTĀN (“The wonder and remarkability of Sagastān”), a short (about 300 words) Pahlavi treatise. Its authorship and period of composition are unknown, but it seems to be one of the few Pahlavi works written outside Fārs. The author, presumably a native of Sīstān, briefly mentions various features of the region and its history significant for Zoroastrianism.…

second author of the 9th century CE Zoroastrian compilation, Dēnkard. A version of this article is available in print Volume I, Fascicle 5, pp. 477 ĀDURBĀD ĒMĒDĀN, second author of the 9th century A.D. Zoroastrian compilation, Dēnkard. He gives an account of his activity at the end of Dēnkard 3 (ed. Madan, p. 406.11ff.). When the first author, Ādurfarnbag ī Farroxzādān, died, the text passed into the care of the latter’s son, Zardušt. But a “bad accident” befell Zardušt, and the book became disordered and dispersed. Ādurbād reunited and added to it; he gave it the title Works of the Religio…

or Rūyīn-dež, lit. "brazen fortress"; castle belonging to the Turanian king Arjāsb and conquered by Esfandīār, son of the Kayanid king Goštāsb. A version of this article is available in print Volume VII, Fascicle 4, pp. 350 DEŽ-E RŪYĪN (or Rūyīn-dež, Brazen fortress), castle belonging to the Turanian king Arjāsb (see ARJĀSP) and conquered by Esfandīār, son of the Kayanid king Goštāsb. It has also been called “brazen city” ( al-madīna al-ṣofrīya; Ṯaʿālebī, Ḡorar, p. 522). In Goštāsb’s absence Arjāsb attacked Balḵ, killing Lohrāsb, Goštāsb’s father, and taking captive …

Iranian mythic hero. A version of this article is available in print Volume IX, Fascicle 5, pp. 531-533 FERĒDŪN (arabicized from Afrīdūn; Pahl. and Man. Mid. Pers. Frēdōn; NPers. Fereydūn or Farīdūn; Av. Θraētaona), Iranian mythic hero. He is mentioned several times in the Avesta with the epithet ĀΘβiiāni “of the house of ĀΘβiia” ( AirWb., p. 323), said to have been his father ( Y. 9.7). ĀΘβiia is to be compared with Vedic Āptya, both from Indo-Iranian *Atpḭas. Both the Indian hero Trita Āptya and the Avestan Θraētaona, son of ĀΘβiia, defeated dragons: Viśvar…

Avestan KAVI ARŠAN, a member of the Kayanid dynasty in Iranian legend. A version of this article is available in print Volume II, Fascicle 3, pp. 267-268 ĀRAŠ, KAY, Avestan KAVI ARŠAN, a member of the Kayanid dynasty in Iranian legend. He receives only passing mention in the Avesta ( Yt. 13.132, 19.71), without reference to his father. The Middle Persian Bundahišn names him (p. 232.2; ms. TD1; Tehran, 1349 Š./1970, p. 199.10) and his three brothers (Kay Biyārš, Kay Pašīn, and Kay Kāyūs) as children of Kay Abīwēh, grandchildren of Kay Kawād (Arabicized as …

a general of Hormazd IV (A.D. 579-590), sent by him to campaign against the rebellious general Bahrām Čūbīn. A version of this article is available in print Volume I, Fascicle 7, pp. 692 ĀʾĪN GOŠASP (var. Aḏīn Gošnasp, Aḏīn Jošnas), general of Hormazd IV (A.D. 579-590), sent by him to campaign against the rebellious general Bahrām Čūbīn. Unsuccessful, he was murdered in Hamadān (Ṭabarī, II, p. 995; Yaʿqūbī, Taʾrīḵ, Naǰaf, 1358/1939, I, p. 136; Šāh-nāma [Moscow] VIII, pp. 394, 428). He was probably a native of Ḵūzestān (Masʿūdī, Morūǰ [ed. Pellat] I, p. 313; Gardīzī [ed. Ḥabībī), p.…

named as a musician at the court of the Sasanian king Ḵosrow II Parvēz (r. 591-628). A version of this article is available in print Volume III, Fascicle 6, pp. 663-664 BĀMŠĀD, a musician at the court of the Sasanian king Ḵosrow II Parvēz (a.d. 591-628) whose name is mentioned together with that of Bārbad in a poem by the Persian poet Manūčehrī ( Dīvān, ed. M. Dabīrsīāqī, 3rd ed., Tehran, 1347 Š./1968, p. 19 v. 280). The Persian lexicons state that he was a famous musician equal to Bārbad (Dehḵodā, Loḡat-nāma, s.v. Bāmšād). Aḥmad Tafażżolī

(Āḡoš son of Vehāḏ), king of Gīlān at the time of Kay Ḵosrow, the Kayanid king, and one of the commanders of his armies. A version of this article is available in print Volume I, Fascicle 6, pp. 611 ĀḠOŠ VEHĀḎĀN (Āḡoš son of Vehāḏ), king of Gīlān at the time of Kay Ḵosrow, the Kayanid king, and one of the commanders of his armies. Kay Ḵosrow sent four armies to fight Afrāsīāb, the third of which was led by Āḡoš Vehāḏān. Accompanied by Gostahm, son of Nōḏar, Āḡoš went from the region of Ḵazar toward Ḵᵛārazm and met and defeated Šēda, Afrāsīāb’s son, and Garsēvaz, his brother ( Moǰmal, p. 388; Ṭabarī I, …

a mythical lake in eastern Iran, later identified in the Pahlavi and Persian sources with Lake Urmia in Azerbaijan. A version of this article is available in print Volume V, Fascicle 1, pp. 107-108 ČĒČAST (Av. Čaēčasta-), a mythical lake in eastern Iran, later identified in the Pahlavi and Persian sources with Lake Urmia (or Kabūdān “dark blue lake”) in Azerbaijan ( Bundahišn, TD2, p. 92.2, tr. Anklesaria, pp. 114-15; Nozhat al-qolūb, ed. Le Strange, pp. 80, 85, 241; Tārīḵ-e gozīda, ed. A.-H. Navāʾī, Tehran, 1339 Š./1960, p. 90). In the Avesta the lake has the following epi…

(kešvar), ancient division of the earth’s surface. A version of this article is available in print Volume V, Fascicle 7, pp. 713 CLIME ( kešvar), ancient division of the earth’s surface. According to Iranian mythology the earth consists of seven concentric climes. In the Gathas they are referred to as būmyā haptaŋᵛha- “a seventh part of the earth” ( Y. 32.3), with which one may compare Pahlavi būm ī haft kišwar “the earth of seven climes” ( Ayādgār ī Jāmāspīg 4.25), and in the later Avesta as karšvąn yāiš hapta “the seven climes,” which is the common expression in later times, compa…

the third class-rank of the four or five divisions of the early Sasanian aristocracy, namely šahryār “landholders,” wispuhr “princes” or members of the royal house, wuzurg “grandees,” āzād “nobles,” and kadag-xwadāy “householders.” A version of this article is available in print Volume IV, Fascicle 4, pp. 427 BOZORGĀN (MPers. wuzurg, oblique plur. wuzurgān, usually written LBA/RBA, LBAn/RBAn), the third class-rank of the four or five divisions of the early Sasanian aristocracy, namely šahryār “landholders,” wispuhr “princes” or members of the royal house (Mid. Pers. u…

lit. "fortress of Gonbadān"; a fortress where the Iranian hero Esfandīār, son of the Kayānian king Goštāsb, was imprisoned. A version of this article is available in print Volume VII, Fascicle 4, pp. 348 DEŽ-E GONBADĀN (Fortress of Gonbadān), a fortress where the Iranian hero Esfandīār, son of the Kayānian king Goštāsb, was imprisoned. At the instigation of Gorazm (Ṭabarī, I, p. 677: Qorazm) Goštāsb began to mistrust Esfandīār and finally accused him of laying claim to the throne of Iran; he ordered Esfandīār put in chains and se…

The "Iranian Culture Foundation" was established 16 September 1964. A version of this article is available in print Volume IV, Fascicle 4, pp. 358-359 BONYĀD-E FARHANG-E ĪRĀN (Iranian Culture Foundation) was established 16 September 1964. The Foundation was funded with an initial grant of one million tomans (ca. $133,000) from Queen Faraḥ’s office; later its funds became a regular appropriation in the national budget. In 1357 Š./1978 this subsidy reached 10 million tomans (ca. $1.3 mill). According to its constitution, consisting of 25 articles, the Bonyād was to co…

lit. "white fortress"; Iranian fortress located near the border with Tūrān and conquered by Sohrāb, son of the Iranian hero Rostam by the Turanian princess Tahmīna. A version of this article is available in print Volume VII, Fascicle 4, pp. 350 DEŽ-E SAFĪD (White fortress), Iranian fortress located near the border with Tūrān and conquered by Sohrāb, son of the Iranian hero Rostam by the Turanian princess Tahmīna. Sohrāb, searching for his father, advanced into Iran and arrived at this fortress, which was guarded by another Iranian hero,…

Middle Iranian term for the “Stablemaster, Royal Equerry.” A version of this article is available in print Volume III, Fascicle 2, pp. 124 ĀXWARRBED, Middle Iranian term for the “Stablemaster, Royal Equerry,” lit. “lord of the manger” (see ĀXWARR), an official in charge of the royal stables and transport. It is attested in the inscription of Šāpūr I on the Kaʿba-ye Zardošt (ŠKZ Parth. 1. 24, the Mid. Pers. is lost): Wrdn ʾhwrpty “Wardan the Stablemaster,” Greek version (1.58) OUARDAN TOU EPI TĒS PATHNĒS (see A. Maricq, Syria 35, 1958, pp. 324-25, repr. in Classica et Orientalia, Paris, 196…

(Judgments of the Spirit of Wisdom), a Zoroastrian Pahlavi book in sixty-three chapters (a preamble and sixty-two quesꏂtions and answers). A version of this article is available in print Volume VI, Fascicle 5, pp. 554-555 DĀDESTĀN Ī MĒNŌG Ī XRAD (Judgments of the Spirit of Wisdom), a Zoroastrian Pahlavi book in sixty-three chapters (a preamble and sixty-two questions and answers), in which a symbolic character called Dānāg (lit., “knowing, wise”) poses questions to the personified Spirit of Wisdom (Mēnōg ī xrad), who is extolled in t…