Vahriz
Encyclopedia
Vahriz was a Deylamite spahbod
(commander) in the service of the Sassanid Empire
. He was the head of a small expeditionary force of low ranking Azatan (Azadan) nobility, numbering around 700, sent by Khosrau I
to Yemen
.
The Yemenites had requested Khosrau's assistance against the Ethiopians of Axum
, who had occupied large parts of the country. Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan
, the son of Dhu Yazan, went to Khosrau and offered him all of Yemen if his army would defeat the Ethiopians.
Vahriz met Masruq, ruler of Yemen, in battle and killed Masruq with an arrow. Then the Ethiopians fled, Vahriz conquered Sana'a
and then went on to conquer the rest of the country. Tabari reports that the main reason behind victory of Vahriz over the Axumites was the use of the panjigan (probably a ballista
equipped with heavy darts), a piece of military technology with which the local peoples were utterly unfamiliar.
Vahriz then took up residence as the Persian governor of Yemen, which became a vassal state of the Sassanids until the arrival of Islam.
Spahbod
Spahbod or Spahbed , is derived from the words Spah and bod ; or "Aspah'Paeity" , and means commander of cavaliers/ knights; alternatively Spah Salar was a rank used in the Parthian empire and more widely in the Sassanid Empire of Persia...
(commander) in the service of the Sassanid Empire
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...
. He was the head of a small expeditionary force of low ranking Azatan (Azadan) nobility, numbering around 700, sent by Khosrau I
Khosrau I
Khosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
to Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
.
The Yemenites had requested Khosrau's assistance against the Ethiopians of Axum
Axum
Axum or Aksum is a city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital of the eponymous kingdom of Axum. Population 56,500 . Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century...
, who had occupied large parts of the country. Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan
Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan
Sayf ibn dhī-Yazan was a Yemeni Himyarite king who lived between 516 and 574 CE, known for ending Aksumite rule over Southern Arabia...
, the son of Dhu Yazan, went to Khosrau and offered him all of Yemen if his army would defeat the Ethiopians.
Vahriz met Masruq, ruler of Yemen, in battle and killed Masruq with an arrow. Then the Ethiopians fled, Vahriz conquered Sana'a
Sana'a
-Districts:*Al Wahdah District*As Sabain District*Assafi'yah District*At Tahrir District*Ath'thaorah District*Az'zal District*Bani Al Harith District*Ma'ain District*Old City District*Shu'aub District-Old City:...
and then went on to conquer the rest of the country. Tabari reports that the main reason behind victory of Vahriz over the Axumites was the use of the panjigan (probably a ballista
Ballista
The ballista , plural ballistae, was an ancient missile weapon which launched a large projectile at a distant target....
equipped with heavy darts), a piece of military technology with which the local peoples were utterly unfamiliar.
Vahriz then took up residence as the Persian governor of Yemen, which became a vassal state of the Sassanids until the arrival of Islam.