The Army Rank of Ᾱareḍ and Its Historical Background

In the history of the administrative organization of some Islamic governments, it has been common to have “Aareḍ” (a commander parading the troops as registrar) as an army rank. Although the mentioned term is an Arabic word, it was not used in the administrative organization and military organization of the Abbasid Caliphate, and it was popular only in the Iranian governments formed in the east of the territories of the Abbasid Caliphate. Therefore, we might ask whether this position was specific to the Iranian governments emerged in the heart of the Abbasid Caliphate. This hypothesis is thus proposed that it seems that “Aareḍ” arose and was derived from the administrative organization of the time of the Sassanid rule in ancient Iran, and it seems that its functions and duties in the post-Islamic period continued among the Iranian governments in the lands east of the Abbasid Caliphate. This article aims to clarify the historical roots of the term and position of "Aareḍ" in a descriptive and analytical way. According to the findings of this research, there is an authentic report that shows that “Aareḍ” as a military rank has at least been taken from a common example in the days of Anushirvan Sassanid or a similar example, and it has been used since the beginning of the rule of the Saffarid and has accordingly continued to be used in the Islamic era.