The Sasanian dynasty (also known as the Sassanids or the House of Sasan) was the house that founded the Sasanian Empire of Iran, ruling this empire from 224 to 651 AD. It began with Ardashir I, who named the dynasty in honour of his predecessor, Sasan.
The Shahanshah was the sole regent, head of state and head of government of the empire. At times, power shifted de facto to other officials, namely the spahbed. Upon the empire's conquest by the Islamic caliphate in 651, members of the imperial family fled in exile to China following the death of Yazdegerd III, where they would become accepted as members of the imperial court by Emperor Gaozong of Tang. Although there would be numerous attempts to invade Islamic Persia with Chinese support,[1][2] this branch of Sasanids would remain in China indefinitely. Narsieh, grandson of Yazdegerd and last recorded Sasanid in China, would adopt the surname Li (李) in honor of the Chinese imperial family.
The Sasanian monarchs claimed descent from the Kayanids,[3] a legendary Persian dynasty mentioned in the Avesta, the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, which is commonly thought to be based upon the late Achaemenid dynasty. As such, Dara II, the Kayanid king Sasan supposedly traced his lineage to, was most likely based upon Darius III, whose empire was conquered by Alexander the Great just like Dara's.[3] Another differing account exists in Kar-Namag i Ardashir i Pabagan, in which Ardashir is presented as the son of Sasan, a descendant of Darius III, and an unnamed daughter of Pabag, a feudal ruler in Persis.[4] However, these conflicting accounts led some historians, like Touraj Daryaee, to believe that Ardashir simply claimed descent from anyone who was most convenient for him. Relating Ardashir to the legendary Kayanians with the nickname Kay, besides connecting himself to Sasan, a guardian deity, and also to Dara, which is possibly a combination of Darius I and Darius III the Achaemenid, hints at a possible attempt to claim lineage from the Achaemenids.[5] Additionally, the name "Sasan" was thought to be composed of the epigraphic form "Ssn" on wares and other documents, implying that Sasan was based on a Zoroastrian deity, though he is not mentioned in the Avesta or any other Iranian texts. Martin Schwartz has recently shown that the deity shown on the pottery wares is not related to Sasan, but shows Ssn, an old Semitic goddess that was worshiped in Ugarit in the second millennium BC. The word "Sasa" is written on coins found in Taxila; it is probably related to "Sasan", since the symbols on the coins are similar to the coins of Shapur I, son of Ardashir. Ferdowsi's Shahnameh remarks that Sasan's Oriental lineage might imply that his house had come from the Orient, presumably India. With all this in mind, it can be assumed that Ardashir claimed his lineage to be divine and the Sasanians may have raised Sasan's rank to that of a god's.[6][7]
^Daryaee (November 17, 2012). "Ardaxšīr. and the Sasanian's Rise to Power". Studia Classica et Orientalia.
Sourcesedit
Olbrycht, Marek Jan (2016). "Dynastic Connections in the Arsacid Empire and the Origins of the House of Sāsān". In Curtis, Vesta Sarkhosh; Pendleton, Elizabeth J.; Alram, Michael; Daryaee, Touraj (eds.). The Parthian and Early Sasanian Empires: Adaptation and Expansion. Oxbow Books. ISBN9781785702082.
Pourshariati, Parvaneh (2008). Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire: The Sasanian-Parthian Confederacy and the Arab Conquest of Iran. London and New York: I.B. Tauris. ISBN978-1-84511-645-3.
Shahbazi, A. Shapur (2005). "SASANIAN DYNASTY". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Online Edition. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
Zanous, Hamidreza Pasha; Sangari, Esmaeil (2018). "The Last Sasanians in Chinese Literary Sources: Recently Identified Statue Head of a Sasanian Prince at the Qianling Mausoleum". Iranian Studies. 51 (4): 499–515. doi:10.1080/00210862.2018.1440966. S2CID 165568529.
February 16, 2024
sasanian, dynasty, also, known, sassanids, house, sasan, house, that, founded, sasanian, empire, iran, ruling, this, empire, from, began, with, ardashir, named, dynasty, honour, predecessor, sasan, house, sasancountrysasanian, empirefounded224founderardashir, . The Sasanian dynasty also known as the Sassanids or the House of Sasan was the house that founded the Sasanian Empire of Iran ruling this empire from 224 to 651 AD It began with Ardashir I who named the dynasty in honour of his predecessor Sasan House of SasanCountrySasanian EmpireFounded224FounderArdashir IFinal rulerYazdegerd IIITitlesShahanshah Shah Padishah KayDeposition651Cadet branchesDabuyid dynastyMikalid dynastyBanu MunajjimThe Shahanshah was the sole regent head of state and head of government of the empire At times power shifted de facto to other officials namely the spahbed Upon the empire s conquest by the Islamic caliphate in 651 members of the imperial family fled in exile to China following the death of Yazdegerd III where they would become accepted as members of the imperial court by Emperor Gaozong of Tang Although there would be numerous attempts to invade Islamic Persia with Chinese support 1 2 this branch of Sasanids would remain in China indefinitely Narsieh grandson of Yazdegerd and last recorded Sasanid in China would adopt the surname Li 李 in honor of the Chinese imperial family The Sasanian monarchs claimed descent from the Kayanids 3 a legendary Persian dynasty mentioned in the Avesta the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism which is commonly thought to be based upon the late Achaemenid dynasty As such Dara II the Kayanid king Sasan supposedly traced his lineage to was most likely based upon Darius III whose empire was conquered by Alexander the Great just like Dara s 3 Another differing account exists in Kar Namag i Ardashir i Pabagan in which Ardashir is presented as the son of Sasan a descendant of Darius III and an unnamed daughter of Pabag a feudal ruler in Persis 4 However these conflicting accounts led some historians like Touraj Daryaee to believe that Ardashir simply claimed descent from anyone who was most convenient for him Relating Ardashir to the legendary Kayanians with the nickname Kay besides connecting himself to Sasan a guardian deity and also to Dara which is possibly a combination of Darius I and Darius III the Achaemenid hints at a possible attempt to claim lineage from the Achaemenids 5 Additionally the name Sasan was thought to be composed of the epigraphic form Ssn on wares and other documents implying that Sasan was based on a Zoroastrian deity though he is not mentioned in the Avesta or any other Iranian texts Martin Schwartz has recently shown that the deity shown on the pottery wares is not related to Sasan but shows Ssn an old Semitic goddess that was worshiped in Ugarit in the second millennium BC The word Sasa is written on coins found in Taxila it is probably related to Sasan since the symbols on the coins are similar to the coins of Shapur I son of Ardashir Ferdowsi s Shahnameh remarks that Sasan s Oriental lineage might imply that his house had come from the Orient presumably India With all this in mind it can be assumed that Ardashir claimed his lineage to be divine and the Sasanians may have raised Sasan s rank to that of a god s 6 7 See also editList of shahanshahs of the Sasanian Empire Sasanian family tree Sasanian architectureReferences edit Zhou Xiuqin University of Pennsylvania 2009 Zhaoling The Mausoleum of Emperor Tang Taizong PDF Sino Platonic Papers 187 155 156 Zanous amp Sangari 2018 p 501 a b Olbrycht 2016 p 26 Wiesehofer Ardasir I i History Daryaee Sasanian Empire Untold Daryaee Sasanian Kingdom Daryaee November 17 2012 Ardaxsir and the Sasanian s Rise to Power Studia Classica et Orientalia Sources editOlbrycht Marek Jan 2016 Dynastic Connections in the Arsacid Empire and the Origins of the House of Sasan In Curtis Vesta Sarkhosh Pendleton Elizabeth J Alram Michael Daryaee Touraj eds The Parthian and Early Sasanian Empires Adaptation and Expansion Oxbow Books ISBN 9781785702082 Pourshariati Parvaneh 2008 Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire The Sasanian Parthian Confederacy and the Arab Conquest of Iran London and New York I B Tauris ISBN 978 1 84511 645 3 Shahbazi A Shapur 2005 SASANIAN DYNASTY Encyclopaedia Iranica Online Edition Retrieved 4 January 2014 Zanous Hamidreza Pasha Sangari Esmaeil 2018 The Last Sasanians in Chinese Literary Sources Recently Identified Statue Head of a Sasanian Prince at the Qianling Mausoleum Iranian Studies 51 4 499 515 doi 10 1080 00210862 2018 1440966 S2CID 165568529 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sasanian dynasty amp oldid 1207743113, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
