Sasan
Encyclopedia
Sāsān considered the eponymous ancestor of the Sasanians
, was "a great warrior and hunter" and a Zoroastrian high priest in south western Iran and living sometime near the fall of the Arsacid Empire.
. The northern Iranian historian Tabari
mentions further that Sasan married a princess of the Bāzarangid
family, the vassal dynasty of Fārs and that Sasan was a grandfather of Aradashir I while Papag is named as Aradashir I's father. According to Tabari, Sasan is a descendent of Darius the Achaemenian.
According to the Pahlavi book of Karnamak-i Artaxshir-i Papakan
, Sasan's wife was a daughter of a noble man called Papag and the marriage was arranged by Papg after hearing that Sasan has "Achamenian blood in him", the son of this union is named Ardashir I. Sasan vanishes shortly after Ardashir appears in the story and Papag is "considered the father of Ardashir".
These stories on different relations between "Ardashir, Papg, and Sasan" have according to Frye a Zoroastrian explanation. Accordingly Sasan was indeed the father of Ardashir and "disappears" from the story after the birth of Ardashir. Similar to the current Zoroastrian practices, Papag had then taken the responsibility of his daughter and her son Ardashir after Sasan "disappears" and is named afterwards as the father of Ardashir.
In the Kabe Zartosht inscription of Shapur I the Great, the four named persons "Sasan, Papag, Ardashir, Shapur" have different by importance titles: Sasan is named as "the lord", Papag as "the king
", Ardashir as "the King of kings of Iran
" and Shapur is "king of kings of Iran and non-Iran
".
Sasanid dynasty managed to become the second Persian Empire in antiquity to rule over a greater portion of Western Asia, the first of such empire was the dynasty founded by Cyrus the Great
. The three "founders" of this new empire, that is Papak and his two sons, are depicted and mentioned on the wall of the Harem of Xerxes at Persepolis
, a remaining of Achaemenids- a representation suggested to be an evidence of a claim to Achaemenid heritage.
As his attested name as Sāsān xʷadāy (Middle Iranian for "Lord Sāsān") indicates, Sasan was the custodian of the "Fire Temple of Anāhid
" at Eṣṭaḵr
. Shahryar the king in 1001 Nights is described as being one of the kings of Sassan and Ladan. Sassan is known for his efforts in trying to bring Zoroastrianism back into the Empire. He even encouraged, Papak, the Zoroastrian commander to take over the Parthian satrapy of Pars.
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
, was "a great warrior and hunter" and a Zoroastrian high priest in south western Iran and living sometime near the fall of the Arsacid Empire.
Identity of Sasan
There are slightly different stories concerning Sasan and his relation to the founder of Sasanid EmpireArdashir I
Ardashir I was the founder of the Sassanid Empire, was ruler of Istakhr , subsequently Fars Province , and finally "King of Kings of Sassanid Empire " with the overthrow of the Parthian Empire...
. The northern Iranian historian Tabari
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari was a prominent and influential Sunni scholar and exegete of the Qur'an from Persia...
mentions further that Sasan married a princess of the Bāzarangid
Bazrangi
BĀZRANGĪ is the attested family name of a dynasty of petty rulers in south western Iran near the end of Arsacid Empire as well as the name of geographical districts.-As Sasan's wife family:...
family, the vassal dynasty of Fārs and that Sasan was a grandfather of Aradashir I while Papag is named as Aradashir I's father. According to Tabari, Sasan is a descendent of Darius the Achaemenian.
According to the Pahlavi book of Karnamak-i Artaxshir-i Papakan
Karnamak-i Artaxshir-i Papakan
The Kārnāmag-ī Ardaxšīr-ī Pābagān or Book of the Deeds of Ardashir, Son of Papag, is a mythological Middle Persian tale written in the Sassanid period ....
, Sasan's wife was a daughter of a noble man called Papag and the marriage was arranged by Papg after hearing that Sasan has "Achamenian blood in him", the son of this union is named Ardashir I. Sasan vanishes shortly after Ardashir appears in the story and Papag is "considered the father of Ardashir".
These stories on different relations between "Ardashir, Papg, and Sasan" have according to Frye a Zoroastrian explanation. Accordingly Sasan was indeed the father of Ardashir and "disappears" from the story after the birth of Ardashir. Similar to the current Zoroastrian practices, Papag had then taken the responsibility of his daughter and her son Ardashir after Sasan "disappears" and is named afterwards as the father of Ardashir.
In the Kabe Zartosht inscription of Shapur I the Great, the four named persons "Sasan, Papag, Ardashir, Shapur" have different by importance titles: Sasan is named as "the lord", Papag as "the king
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
", Ardashir as "the King of kings of Iran
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
" and Shapur is "king of kings of Iran and non-Iran
Aniran
Anīrān or Anērān is an ethno-linguistic term that signifies "non-Iranian" or "non-Iran." Thus, in a general sense, 'Aniran' signifies lands where Iranian languages are not spoken...
".
Politics of Sasan family
The political ambition of Sasan was evoked by the troubles and weakness caused in last years of Parthian empire. According to Tabari Sasan's son, named Papak, managed to consolidated his power with the help of his own sons Šāpur and Ardašir. This is considered the beginning of rule of Sasanid family.Sasanid dynasty managed to become the second Persian Empire in antiquity to rule over a greater portion of Western Asia, the first of such empire was the dynasty founded by Cyrus the Great
Achaemenid Empire
The Achaemenid Empire , sometimes known as First Persian Empire and/or Persian Empire, was founded in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great who overthrew the Median confederation...
. The three "founders" of this new empire, that is Papak and his two sons, are depicted and mentioned on the wall of the Harem of Xerxes at Persepolis
Persepolis
Perspolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire . Persepolis is situated northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran. In contemporary Persian, the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid...
, a remaining of Achaemenids- a representation suggested to be an evidence of a claim to Achaemenid heritage.
As his attested name as Sāsān xʷadāy (Middle Iranian for "Lord Sāsān") indicates, Sasan was the custodian of the "Fire Temple of Anāhid
Anahita
Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ' ; the Avestan language name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of 'the Waters' and hence associated with fertility, healing and wisdom...
" at Eṣṭaḵr
Istakhr
Estakhr was an ancient city located in southern Iran, in Fars province, five kilometers north of Persepolis. It was a prosperous city during the time of Achaemenid Persia.-History:...
. Shahryar the king in 1001 Nights is described as being one of the kings of Sassan and Ladan. Sassan is known for his efforts in trying to bring Zoroastrianism back into the Empire. He even encouraged, Papak, the Zoroastrian commander to take over the Parthian satrapy of Pars.
See also
- Sassanid EmpireSassanid EmpireThe Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
- Papak
- List of Sasanid kings