A Research on Imperial Positions in Sassanid Dynasty According to Historical Resources and Epigraphic Documents

Unknown method to organize Sassanid Imperial Court, real nature and function of some position, titles, cognomens and hierarchy order of imperial authorities are caused by many reasons. The changes made on complementary route of governing derived by some specific policies of each one of kings and exercise influence of other fundamental structures of society especially the clergy in some specific periods of time, have intermingled organization of courts with ambiguities that is the reason of differences among various historical resources. As the extensive formalities were responsible to govern Sassanid imperial court, too many titles and positions with specific function and hierarchy order were in the body of these structures which there is no accurate knowledge about origin and nature of them. The root of such these differences may be investigated among interval period between existence of those titles and the time of their registration, the words to introduce each title, lack of enough information of most of the researchers from historical and archeological contemporary events and lack of consensus among linguists to interpret Pahlavi words beside all above mentioned changes. Epigraphic documents reveal a recognition consistent with the fact of imperial hierarchy order and also a more logical function of them according to transposition of those titles and cognomens. To interpret some titles such as “Darigan Sardar”, “Darbad”, and “Chief of Formalities” above rule can be referred. “Shabestan” is one of the words which has two interpretation. Against most of the historical traditions to relate Shabestan to the eunuch of the court, it is preferred to interpret it as an honorary title for the nobles. This research tries to invoke historical resources and epigraphic documents to argue about existential nature and origin of Sassanid titles and cognomens to introduce special formalities to organize imperial court and also hierarchy order of authorities and to define the reason of multiple titles which refer to a single function.