The Sassanids are a serious opponent of the legions of Rome on the eastern borders of the empire in the 3-4 centuries. The confrontation between the Sassanid Persians and the Romans went on with varying success. Many Roman emperors ingloriously ended their eastern campaigns. In the first part of the article, we will consider the formation of the Sassanid state and the Roman-Persian wars of the 3rd century.

At the beginning of the 3rd century. the weakened Parthian kingdom disintegrated. It was replaced by a more serious military Persian state - the Sassanid Empire. The founder of the state Ardashir, the son of Papak from the Iranian clan of Sassan, calling himself Artaxerxes, raised a rebellion against the Parthian king Artaban 5. Herodian, “History of imperial power after Mark”, 6.2: “Artaxerxes, king of the Persians, crushing the Parthians and depriving them of their power over the East, killed Artaban, who was previously called a great king and who owned two royal crowns, conquered all the neighboring barbarian peoples and made them his tributaries; he does not rest on this and does not remain on the other side of the Tigris River, but, having crossed over to the other side within the boundaries of the Roman Empire, he ravages Mesopotamia and threatens the Syrians, and the entire continent opposite Europe, separated by the Aegean Sea and the Strait of Propontida, - the entire so-called Asia Considering the possession of his ancestors, he wishes to rejoin the Persian state, claiming that from the time of Cyrus, who was the first to transfer power from the Medes to the Persians, up to Darius, the last Persian king, whose power was abolished by Alexander the Great, everything, up to Ionia and Caria, ruled by Persian satraps; therefore, it befits him to restore for the Persians the entire power that they previously possessed. "

Dio Cassius, (former consul at the time under the Emperor Alexander Sever) "Roman History", 80.3: “The most alarming situation was in Mesopotamia, which instilled real terror in all people, not only in Rome, but everywhere. For a certain Persian Artaxerxes, having defeated the Parthians in three battles and killed their king Artaban, went to war against Atra in order to make further attacks on the Romans from this fortress. He managed to break a hole in the wall, but, having lost many soldiers who were ambushed, he retreated and headed for Media. By intimidation and negotiations, he captured by no means a small part of both this country and Parthia, and rushed to Armenia. Here he was rebuffed by some of the Medes and the sons of Artaban, so that some say that he fled, while others that he retreated in order to gather a more numerous army. He became a dangerous enemy for us, for he gathered a huge army, threatening not only Mesopotamia, but also Syria, and declared that he would return everything that belonged to the Persians since ancient times up to the Greek Sea, since all this was inherited by the Persians from their ancestors. "

Angus McBride artist

Alexander Sever, having collected significant forces, in 231 came out against the Sassanids, splitting the army into three parts. The army that marched through rocky Armenia achieved some success. The army that was marching in the steppe was destroyed by the Sassanids and the emperor with the third army did not come to her aid. Herodian, 6.5: “Persian, attacking with all his forces on the unsuspecting army, surrounding him and as if entangling with a net, striking from all sides with arrows, destroyed the army of the Romans, who were too small to resist the superior enemy, and only constantly covered large shields unprotected parts of their bodies, struck by arrows; they were content to defend their bodies, not to fight. Finally, all of them, having gathered in one place and made a kind of wall out of the shields put forward, fought back in the position of the besieged and, being thrown from all sides by arrows and getting wounded, repelled the enemy with all possible courage until they were all killed. " The north turned back to Antioch, where only the remnants of the army reached.

It can be noted that during this period the Sassanids fight in the Parthian style, relying more on shooting, as in. The Sassanid army in the 3rd century. has an irregular character. Herodian, 6.5: “the barbarians (Persians) do not give salaries to the soldiers, like the Romans, and do not have regular and permanent camps where they practice the martial arts; all men, and sometimes women, gather with them, when the king orders. At the end of the war, everyone returns to his home, enriched by what he got from the loot. They use bows and horses not only during the war, like the Romans, but they have been engaged in them since childhood and spend their lives in the hunt, never taking off their quivers or getting off their horses, but always using them either against enemies or against animals. " 6.7: “… the barbarian has delays and obstacles to a new attack with an army, which, once disbanded, is not easy to reassemble, since it is neither orderly nor constant, but is rather an unorganized crowd of people than an army; and they only have such a quantity of provisions as each one, when he comes, brings with him for his own consumption; reluctantly and with great difficulty they leave their children, wives and their native land. "

A different story about the campaign of the North in the Biographies of Augustus Elius Lampridius, “Alexander Sever”, 55: “Having then gone to Persia with great military equipment, he defeated the most powerful king Artaxerxes. Having defeated and put to flight such a mighty king, who went to war with seven hundred elephants, one thousand eight hundred sickle-bearing chariots and many thousands of horsemen, he immediately returned to Antioch and enriched his army with booty taken from the Persians. " Extremely dubious description and composition of the Sassanid army.

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The next major campaign in 243 against the new Persian king Shapur (Sapor) was undertaken by the emperor Gordian. In the Biography of Augustus, Julius Kapitolin, “Three Gordians”, 26-27: “Gordian, having opened the temple of the two-faced Janus (and this was a sign of the declaration of war), came out against the Persians with a huge army and so much gold that he could easily defeat the Persians with the help of either auxiliary troops, or their soldiers. He directed the path to Moesia and during the campaign itself he destroyed, put to flight, expelled and drove away all enemies, no matter how many there were in Thrace. From there he went through Syria to Antioch, which the Persians had already taken possession of. There he often entered battles and won, pushing back the Persian king Sapor, who reigned after Artaxerxes, he took back Antioch, and Carr, and Nizibis, who were all under the rule of the Persians. All this was achieved thanks to Mizitheus (translation variant - Timisifei, Timisicles), Gordian's father-in-law, who was also the prefect (praetorium). Finally, they achieved that the Persians, whose arrival were already feared in Italy, after the battles with Gordian returned to their country, and the Roman state held the whole East in its hands. "

Subsequent events are extremely contradictory. Either Gordian died in the battle with Shapur according to the Persian version, or, according to Roman sources, he died as a result of the conspiracy of Philip the Arab. Julius Kapitolin, 30: "Philip, taking advantage of the fact that the strong anger of the soldiers against Gordian, caused by hunger, had not yet cooled down, ordered to take him away, despite his cries, take everything off him and kill him." Having become the new emperor, the Arab signed an unprofitable treaty with the Persians and rushed to Rome.

Angus McBride artist

A few years later, the onslaught of the Persians on the Roman border intensified. Zosimus, “New History”, 1.27: “After a while the Persians attacked Asia, devastated Mesopotamia and entered Syria as far as Antioch, the capital of the whole East. There they killed many of the inhabitants, and took the survivors into captivity. After the destruction of all private and public buildings in the city, they returned home with untold booty, not meeting the slightest resistance anywhere. Indeed, the Persians could easily seize power over all of Asia, but they were too happy with their rich booty and a successful return. "

In the next campaign to the east in 259, the emperor Valerian gathered, leaving the western provinces, subjected to the onslaught of the Germans, and is ready to take care of his son, co-ruler Gallienus. Valerian's fate, like Gordian's, is controversial. If Persian sources believe that Valerian was defeated in battle and was captured, then Roman sources claim that the emperor was captured as a result of Shapur's deception.

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Zosimus, 1.30.36: “When Valerian repulsed the danger that threatened the empire from all sides, he chose his son Gallienus as a colleague. In the midst of general confusion, he hastened to the East, opposing the Persians. Troops in Europe, he instructed his son, ordering him to push back the barbarians, who are now under fire from all sides ... While Sapor captured one after another all the regions of the East, Valerian's troops did not achieve an advantage. In his weakness, Valerian despaired and, seeing no other means of resolving this crisis, tried to buy the world. Sapor, however, dismissed the Roman ambassadors with nothing and demanded that the emperor himself come to negotiations, leaving all other matters. After that Valerian, recklessly agreeing to this demand, left, thoughtlessly taking with him only a few escorts, to a meeting with Sapor to discuss the terms of peace. The emperor was suddenly captured by the enemy. So he was humiliated, thrown into the position of a slave and died in the hands of the Persians, bringing great disgrace to the Roman honor of all subsequent times. "

Aurelius Victor, On the Caesars, 32.5: “When (Valerian) began a long and unsuccessful war in Mesopotamia, he was ambushed by a Persian king named Sapor, and shamefully died from many wounds in his flourishing age in the sixth year of his reign.”

The honor of Rome was saved by Lucius Septimius Odenatus, ruler of Palmyra. In the Roman Empire, it fell to pieces. In the west, the empire of Postumus was formed, in the east, after the victory over Shapur, Odenath formed the Palmyrian kingdom. Palmyra after the death of Odenates went to his wife Zenobia and during the reign of Emperor Aurelian returned to the borders of the Roman Empire.

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Trebellius Pollio, Biographies of Augustus, Odenatus: “If, after the capture of Valerian, when the forces of the Roman state were exhausted, Odenatus, the prince of Palmyra, did not take imperial power into his own hands, the East would be lost. Therefore, accepting first of all the royal rank, he gathered an army and marched against the Persians together with his wife Zenobia. First of all, he returned under his rule Nisibis and most of the East, along with all of Mesopotamia, and then, having defeated the king himself, put him to flight. Finally, pursuing Sapor and his children to Ctesiphon himself, capturing his concubines, capturing a large prey, he returned to the East ... on his return from Persia, he was proclaimed emperor together with his father. I believe that the gods were angry with our state if they did not want to save Odenath after the death of Valerian. Of course, together with his wife Zenobia, he could restore order not only in the East, where he had already restored the previous position, but also in all other parts of the whole world ... "

Unfortunately, there is no detailed description of the battles with the legions of Rome, the tactics and composition of the Sassanid army in the 3rd century. Horse archers are practically not mentioned, although their images are found.

A literary work has survived, apparently written at the turn of 3-4 centuries and giving an idea of ​​the Persian army. The main force of the Sassanids is the cataphracts of the elite cavalry - Savarana.

Heliodorus, Ethiopica, 9: “It was seen how he (the king of the Persians Oroondat) was being built, attracting the eyes with Persian splendor and illuminating the plain with the glitter of silver and gilded weapons. The sun barely rose and threw its rays in the face of the Persians - an unspeakable radiance; it reached even the farthest rows: the shine of the weapon matched the shine of the sun. The right wing was occupied by natural Persians and Medes, the heavily armed went ahead, and the arrows, how many there were, followed them: not having defensive weapons, they could shoot arrows with greater safety under the cover of the heavily armed. The forces of the Egyptians and Libyans, as well as all the mercenary troops, Oroondat placed on the left wing, attached spearmen and slingers to them, and ordered them to raid and throw javelins, running out from the flanks. He himself settled down in the middle, standing on a magnificent serpentine chariot and remaining safe, guarded by a phalanx on both sides, lined up in front of himself only horse men at arms: after all, relying on them most of all, he decided to fight (such a phalanx always happens with the Persians are the most combat-ready, therefore, in war, like an indestructible wall, they are placed in front).

Angus McBride artist

Their armament is of this kind: people who are selective and stand out in bodily strength put on a solid helmet poured from one piece, reproducing, like a mask, a human face. Covered by it from the crown to the neck, except for the eyes to see, they arm their right hand with a spear superior to an ordinary spear, while the left is occupied with a bridle. Having tied a dagger on the side, they protect not only the chest, but also the whole body with a shell. The shell is made as follows: rectangular plates are cast from copper and iron into a span on all sides and, putting them one on top of the other with the edges so that each time the upper one goes over the lower one, they fasten them with a bond at the joints, and thus a scaly shirt is obtained, which does not squeeze the body, but embraces it from all sides and, hugging the limbs, contracts and stretches without restricting freedom of movement. The carapace has sleeves and falls from the neck to the knees, leaving only the hips uncovered as you have to sit astride. This is this carapace, the best deflector of blows, protecting against any kind of injury. As for the leggings, they reach from the foot to the knees, in contact with the shell. The Persians supply the horse with the same armor, dress the legs with greaves, squeeze the head completely with foreheads, cover the horse with a blanket trimmed with iron and descend on the sides from the back to the belly, so that it protects the horse, and at the same time does not interfere with it and does not make it difficult to run. ... A horse rider sits on a horse equipped in this way, as if squeezed into his attire, but he does not jump himself, but because of the weight of him others sit down.

Artist V. Vuksic

When the time for battle comes, then, having weakened the reins and the horse is hot with a battle cry, he rushes to the enemy, like some kind of iron man or a moving forged statue. The tip of the spear protrudes strongly forward, the spear itself is attached by a belt to the horse's neck; its lower end with the help of a loop is held on the horse's rump, in fights the spear does not give in, but, helping the rider's hand, which is just directing the blow, it strains itself and firmly rests, inflicting a severe wound and in its rapid onslaught stabs anyone, with one blow often impaling two. "

At the end of the 3rd century, the Romans were able to inflict sensitive defeats on the Persians of the Sassanids, seized their capital Ctesiphon, but could not gain a foothold there. Biography of Augustus, 30.8: “Having finished the Sarmatian war, which he was waging, mainly with the help of huge equipment and all the forces prepared by Probe, Kar moved against the Persians. Not meeting any resistance, since the Persians were busy with the rebellion that arose within their state, he took possession of Mesopotamia, reached Ctesiphon and was awarded the nickname of the Emperor of Persia. " Aurelius Victor, About Caesars, 39: “At first he (Galerius) suffered a severe defeat from them (the Sassanid Persians), but then, quickly recruiting an army of veterans and recruits, he went to the enemies through Armenia: this was the only and easier way to victory ... There he finally brought King Narseus to obedience and at the same time captured his wives, children and the palace. He won so many victories that if Valery — and everything was done with his approval — for some unknown reason had not banned, then the Roman banners (fasci) would have been introduced into the new province. "

SASANID PERSIA

Sassanid Empire (Pers.) - state, formed on the territory of modern Iraq and Iran as a result of the fall of the power of the Tabaristan dynasty of Arshakids and the coming to power of the Persian dynasty of the Sassanids.

It existed from 224 to 651. The Sassanids themselves called their state Eranshahr (- Eranshahr) "the State of the Iranians (Aryans)".

The Sassanid dynasty was founded by Ardashir I Papakan after the victory over the Parthian king Artaban V (Persian Ardavan) from the Arshakid dynasty. The last Sassanid shahinshah (King of kings) was Yezdegerd III (632-651), who was defeated in a 14-year struggle with the Arab Caliphate.

In the middle of the 7th century, the Sassanid empire was destroyed and absorbed by the Arab Caliphate.

Ardashir (c. 180-241 AD) - the first shahanshah of Iran in 224-241. from the Sassanid dynasty.

According to the Zoroastrian code "Denkard", at the behest of Ardashir, the high priest Tusar (or Tansar) collected the surviving lists of the books of the Avesta and having studied them, established the canon of Mazdayasna, a religion according to the teachings of Zarathushtra .

Tusar's message to the king of Tabaristan is known, with an admonition to recognize Artashir as the legitimate sovereign of Iran.

The high priest of Ardashir was Tansar, or Tosar (the Pahlavi letter allows two readings). He bore the title erbad, which, under the Parthians, was apparently called the leading dignitaries of the Zoroastrian church. (Throughout Sassanian times, ordinary clergymen were called simply “could” - a word that goes back to the ancient magician - “magician.”) Tansar, as a supporter of Ardashir, had a difficult task to accomplish. After all, if the Arshakids, seizing power, claimed to be fighters for the faith against the unfaithful Seleucids, then the Sassanids should have justified the overthrow of their fellow believers. We can trace how they tried to achieve their goals, according to a letter that has come down to us, written by Tansar Gushnaspu himself, the ruler of Tabaristan in northern Iran. This area was difficult to conquer by force, and Tansar wrote a letter to Gushnasp on behalf of Ardashir to persuade him to voluntarily submit to the new government. The letter that has come down to us is the answer to one of the letters of Gushnasp. In it, Tansar answers numerous doubtful questions and refutes one after another of the criticisms made by the northern ruler. In the religious sphere, the ruler of Tabaristan, Gushnasp, accused Ardashir "of renouncing traditions, which may be true from a secular point of view, but not good for the work of faith" (Tansar-name, 36). To this accusation, Tansar raises a double objection. First, he writes, not all the old orders are good, and since Ardashir "is more generously endowed with virtues than the previous rulers ... then his customs are better than the old ones." Secondly, he argues, faith fell into such decay after the destruction wrought by Alexander that under the Arshakids it was no longer possible to know exactly the old "laws and rituals", and therefore faith "must be restored by a person who is truthful and sane ... because before as long as faith is not interpreted reasonably, it does not have a solid foundation. " Ardashir thus claimed full right to make such changes as he pleased, and these changes were equally approved by Tansar, regardless of whether they were innovations or the restoration of the old order.

The fact that some of his fellow believers courageously opposed the claims of Ardashir is evident from the protests of the ruler of Tabaristan Gushnasp against “unnecessary bloodshed, which are committed by the order of Ardashir among those who oppose his decisions and decrees” (Tansar-name, 39). To this Tansar replied that people had become wicked, and therefore they themselves should be accused of executions and murders, and not the King of kings. “Bloodshed among people of this kind, even if they seem excessive, we consider vital and healthy, life-giving, like rain for the earth ... because in the future the foundations of the state and religion will be comprehensively strengthened by this ...” (Tansar-name 40).

It remains, however, unclear exactly what religious activities Ardashir, according to Tansar, carried out through bloodshed. There are several sources on the history of the early Sassanids, and one can find in them various measures by which Ardashir and the Persian priests could infringe and anger their Zoroastrian co-religionists. Thus, instead of the former brotherhood of local communities, a single Zoroastrian church was created under the direct and authoritarian rule of Persia; this was accompanied by the establishment of a single canon of the Avestan texts, approved and approved by Tansar himself. This event is described in the Pahlavi essay Dinkard as follows: “His Majesty the King of Kings Ardashir, son of Papak, following Tansar as his religious leader, commanded that all disparate teachings be delivered to the court. Tancap took the lead and chose those that were reliable, and excluded the rest from the canon. He issued the following decree: henceforth, only those writings are true that are based on the religion of worshiping Mazda, because from now on there is no shortage of accurate knowledge about them ”(Dinkard 412, 11-117; Zaehner, 1955, p. 8). Elsewhere in the same work it is predicted that there will be no peace in the Iranian lands until “until they recognize him, Erbad Tansar, a spiritual leader, eloquent, truthful, just. And when they recognize and submit to Tansar ... these lands, if they wish, will find salvation instead of departing from the Zoroastrian faith ”(Dinkard 652, 9-17).

The king of Tabaristan refused to confirm the powers of Ardashir, and the latter decided to assert his power by force of arms. This is how the centuries-old war of Persia against the Tabasaran people begins.

In 226, Artashir was solemnly crowned and took the title of king of kings (shahanshah). However, in order to become the head of Iran, Artashir had to conquer 80 kings and capture their regions. The young state was born and grew up in wars. He consistently continued his conquests. In fact, Ardashir I captured Media, the territory of Iranian, or South, Azerbaijan, Sakastan (Sistan), Khorasan and the Merv oasis.

At the head of the state was the Shahanshah, who belonged to the reigning Sassanid dynasty. The succession to the throne did not yet have strict laws, so the shah sought to appoint his heir during his lifetime, but this did not save him from great difficulties in inheritance. The throne of the Shahanshah should and could be occupied only by a representative of the Sassanid clan. In other words, the Sassanid family was considered royal. Generic inheritance. The highest position in the state was held by the shardars - independent governors of the regions, kings who were subordinate to the Sassanids.

After the death of the Parthian king Artaban, his brother Valarsh from the Tabaristan dynasty of Arshakids declared war on the Sassanids.

According to Movses Khorenatsi, during the reign of the Albanian king Valarsh “... the crowds of Khazir (Khazar) and Basil (Barsil), joining together, passed through the Chor gate under the leadership of their king Vnasep Surkhap, crossed the river and scattered on this side of it (to the country of the Huns ) ". Valarsh came out to meet them at the head of a large army and, turning them to flight, pursued them to Chora, where he died "at the hands of powerful riflemen."

After the death of Valarsh, the throne was taken by his son, Khosrov, "in the third year of the reign of the Albanian king Artaban." As you know, the last Albanian Artaban V, referred to here, proclaimed himself king in 213. Khosrov took the throne immediately after the death of his father Valarsh "in the third year" of the reign of Artaban V, as Khorenatsi emphasizes, that is, in 216 G.

Khosrov (211-259) reigned for 48 years. After the fall of the Arshakid dynasty in 226, he fought successful wars with Artashir I Sassanid ..

From this it follows that the first invasion of Albania by the Barsils with the Khazars, information about which was preserved by Movses Khorenatsi, apparently took place around 215/6, i.e. approximately 10 years before the moment when) according to Agafangel, with the same king Khosrov, the Huns first appear in Albania.

Aren't these the "... crowds of Khazir (Khazar) and Basil (Barsil) who burst into Albania and settled in an area that went down in history as the country of the Huns (Gunarin Vilayat)"?

So, according to Agafangel, King Khosrov from the Tabaristan dynasty of Arshakids, the next year after the death of the last king Artaban V (213 - 224) and the seizure of power in Iran by the founder of the new Sassanid dynasty Ardashir I (224 - 241), i.e., after apparently, about 225, “... gathered the Albanian troops, opened the gates of the Albanians and the stronghold of Chora; he (Khosrov) led the army of the Huns (Gunnarin vilayat) in order to attack the occupied land by the Persians ... Many strong and brave cavalry detachments of Albanians, lpins, chilbs, Caspians and others quickly arrived (to him) in support of ) from those regions to avenge Artaban's blood. "

Ten years later, in 225, the Huns (that is, the same Khazars and Barsils) reappeared in Transcaucasia, but this time as Khosrov's mercenaries in the coalition he created against the first Sassanid shah Ardashir I (Agafangel).

In 259, the great son of the Albanian people Khosrov from the Tabaristan dynasty, the founders of the Parthian state of the Arshakids, was killed by the hands of Anak from the Arshakid clan, whom he sheltered, in a conspiracy organized by Artashir Sassanid in Caucasian Albania.

Anak, bribed by the Persian king, killed the Albanian king Khosrov and for this he himself paid with his life; his entire family was exterminated, except for his youngest son, whom his nurse, a Christian woman, managed to take to her homeland, to Caesarea in Cappadocia (Greece). There the boy was baptized with the name of Gregory (the name of St. Gregory in paganism was Suren) and received a Christian upbringing. Having married, he soon parted with his wife: she entered a monastery, and Gregory went to Rome and entered into the service of Khosrov's son, Tiridates (286-342), wishing to make amends with his father's guilt by diligent service. Tiridates regained his father's throne. For confessing Christianity, Tiridates ordered that Gregory be thrown into the moat so that he would die there of hunger. Here Gregory lived for 13-14 years, fed by a pious woman.

Khosrov gave his life for the freedom and independence of the Albanian people. This is confirmed by the unnamed cemeteries scattered throughout Tabasaran with hastily placed unhewn slabs over the graves of uninvited "foreign guests".

The successful development of Derbent in the Albanian (antique) period was interrupted in the middle of the 3rd century AD by the campaign of the Persian king Shapur I. In one of the most significant ancient temples of Iran, a Sassanid inscription was discovered, which says that "the horses and people of Shapur" reached Albanian gates, where Shapur, the king of kings, with horses and people, himself ... caused destruction and conflagrations ... "" The barbaric consequences of this campaign of the Persian king Shapur I left traces in the memory of my little Tabasaran people. mentioning the city of Derbent and to this day my people remember the name of this barbarian and the city is called "Shagyur" - "Shapur".

In the first decade of the 4th century. The Barsils (Khazars), under the leadership of their leader, named in the "History of Taron" Zenob Gluk "the king of the north Tedrekhon", again invaded Albania through the Derbent passage, but on the Gargarei plain (the area near the village of Garig-Gyargyarin by the Albanat III) Tsars were defeated by the Tsars (Agafangel, Khorenatsi).

Iran's foreign policy became especially active under Shapur II (309-379), who waged stubborn wars with Rome and the Kushans, the actual allies of Rome. By the end of his reign, Shapur crushed the Kushan state, the western possessions of which passed to the Sassanids.

Shapur II (date of birth unknown, d. 379) - king of Persia since 309. During his 70-year reign, he waged repeated wars with the Roman Empire, which ended in the annexation of many territories to the Sassanid state.

In the scientific literature, controversy has been developed about the Kushans. That's who they are

such Kushans.

Burshag is one of the oldest villages in Agula, (Agul district) is the highest mountain village located at the foot of the Dzhufa-dag peak (3015 m) in the Kushan valley, the final settlement of which is Kushan-dere. Residents of the village of Burshag speak a very peculiar Kushan dialect of the Agul language. Together with the neighboring villages of Arsug and Khudig, located in the Kushan valley, Burshag forms an original cultural, linguistic and geographical enclave that distinguishes them among the aguls.

The territory of Burshag is bordered by three districts: Tabasaran, Kaitagsky and Dakhadayevsky. Close proximity with Tabasarans and Dargins left its mark on the way of life, customs and customs of the Burshags. Traditionally, residents of the village. Burshag had family ties not only with neighboring Agul villages, but often with Tabasaran and Dargins.

Information about the inhabitants of the Kushan-der - the Kushans, "rukiIushanakh" (as they are called by the neighboring Tabasaran) are mentioned in ancient sources, in particular in the sources of the 10th century Abu Hamid al-Garnati.

Iranshahr did not have a lasting peace with its northern neighbors - the Huns, Khazars and Albanians. Iran by this time captured the entire coastal part of the Caspian Sea, i.e. the great, ancient Caucasian Albania was dismembered into small marzbans. Under the Shahinshah Bahram Gur in 425, the invasion of the Huns was repulsed.

The political situation at this time in the Caucasus is as follows: The main political line pursued by the Sassanian regime in Albania, as before, was to increase dependence on the empire and ensure the protection of the northern borders. The protection of the Caucasian passages was, of course, important not only for Iran, but also for Byzantium. Considering this circumstance, in 442 Byzantium concluded a special treaty with Iran, according to which it pledged to pay the Sassanids a certain amount of "gold" annually for the protection of the Albanian passage.

And to strengthen the Derbend Pass, the Sassanids restored five rows of defensive walls that stretched from the mountains to the sea and deployed guard detachments here. And at this time the Khazars were rushing to Albania, the Arabs were advancing from the south, carrying the new and all-conquering teaching of the Prophet Muhammad.

Tavaspars are mentioned in the "History of Yeghishe" in connection with the events around 450, when the Armenian prince Vasak Suni, who went over to the side of Iran, called on his side in the fight against the Huns for control of the "fortress at the Huns' gate" in the wall blocking the passage through the Caucasian the ridge between the possessions of the Albanians and the Huns, "Lipns and Chilbs, Wat, Gav, Gnivar and Khyrsan, and Hechmatak, and Pasyk, and Sisykh, and Pyukovan, and all the troops of Tavasparan, mountainous and lowland, the whole inaccessible country of mountains."

The troops of Tavasparan did not go over to the side of the Armenian prince and Prince Vasak Syuni was defeated in Tavasparan.

In with. Askkan Yarak, Kondik there are quite extensive cemeteries, where there are even Armenian burials. Here is your answer, for a full disclosure of the topic of the history of Tabasaran.

The war with the Persians resumed in 459 under the Shahinshah Peroz. He sent the ruler of the Huns to wife instead of the promised princess a slave. The deceived Hunnic leader killed some of the Iranian ambassadors, and mutilated the rest, sent them out with a formidable warning. The war ended in a humiliating truce for Iran. Peroz violated it and invaded the Hunnic borders, but was defeated and died, but in the memory of his compatriots he remained "Brave". His successor Wallash made peace with the Huns, pledging to pay them tribute for two years. Only 20 years later, as a result of the wars of 503-513, Iranshahr put an end to the Hunnic threat.

In 623, the Byzantine emperor Heraclius (610-641) gathered a huge army and entered Albania, where he intended to spend the winter. Here is what Moses Kalankatuisky wrote about this: “When the Greek army arrived in countless numbers, it camped near a fast stream, on the outskirts of the village of Kagankaituk. She trampled and devastated the beautiful vineyards and fields through which he passed. The war takes on a different character.All the following year, the emperor is busy training soldiers, and in April 623, instead of moving to Ctesiphon, expected by Khosrov, he begins a campaign to Atur-patak-an to Hanzak (Kondik-Gvanzhikk), where he almost took From there he retreated to Albania and took its capital Partav.In the spring of 624 the Persians occupied the gorges leading from Albania to Iran, but Irakli bypassed them by a longer path through the valleys. deceived by a deceptive maneuver and smashed, after which they retreated to winter apartments in Pontus.,

In 627 Heraclius met with his new allies - the Khazars and concluded a treaty with them. According to Moses Kalankatuysky, "the Khazars with countless hordes made raids across our country (Albania-Tabasaran) at the behest of Irakl." Having invaded the country, the Khazars attacked Derbend with the first blow. After a long siege, they destroyed its "marvelous walls, for the construction of which the Persian kings exhausted our country, mobilizing architects and seeking many different materials." During the capture of the city, the Khazars treated its inhabitants so cruelly that panic began among the population of Albania (Tabasaran). A mass of people, abandoning their homes and property, rushed to the capital of the country, Partav, but the fear of "predatory wolves" was so great that the people began to seek shelter in the inaccessible mountains. However, the Khazars, having taken Partav and "having learned about what had happened, pursued the fleeing and caught up with some of them." As for the Sassanid Tabasaranshah in Albania (Tabasaran) Sema Vshtnis (protege of Persia), he "took with him all his property and stole much from the country, escaped and fled to the Persian country."

In 628, after the assassination of Khosrov II, his son Shiruya (Kavad II) came to power, who immediately released all the prisoners who were held by his father in the palace prison, incl. and Catholicos Viro.

Kavad II - Shahinshah of Iran and an-Iran, from the Sassanid dynasty, ruled for several months in 628. Son of Khosrov II, by his wife Maria, a Byzantine princess. He ascended the throne, overthrowing his father Khosrov II, due to the fact that he decided to transfer the throne to his youngest son Mardanshah from his marriage with his beloved wife Shirin. Having ascended the throne, he stopped the war with Byzantium with the cession of almost all the lands once conquered in the Middle East and Palestine. He was killed a year later, probably poisoned by Queen Shirin.

His death was the catalyst for riots and uprisings in Iran, which led to the weakening of the Sassanian state and, 23 years later, to the final fall. Returning after 25 years of exile to his homeland, crushed by the Khazars and abandoned to the mercy of the marzban, he became the only real political force. To prevent the final collapse of the country, Viro, on the one hand, appeals for help to Iran, embroiled in the struggle for the throne, and on the other, in March-April 629, he arrives at the headquarters of the son of the Khazar Kagan Shat, who at one time led the Khazar campaign in Albania. However, the Khazars, realizing Viro's ambiguous policy, broke off negotiations and subjected Albania to new, even more destructive raids. After consulting with influential people in the country and high-ranking officials, Viro again arrived at the Shata camp near Partav. But poverty and disease caused by robbery and destruction did their job. In the words of Moses Kalankatuysky, Albania was captured by "three commanders - Hunger, Sword and their assistant Death". Thousands of people, incl. Catholicos Viro fall victim to the epidemic. However, a little later, i.e. in 630, internal strife that began in the Türkic Kaganate and put an end to the rule of the Turks in the North Caucasus, ended the rule of the Khazars in Albania. This event, as well as the significant weakening as a result of the Iranian-Byzantine war of both belligerents, contributed to the restoration of the political independence of Albania; the dynasty of Mihranids came to power, the first representative of which was the ruler of Girdiman Varaz-Grigor (628-642), who received the title of Prince of Albania during the reign of Khosrov II.

The Mihranids were a dynasty of rulers in Caucasian Albania from the end of the 6th to the beginning of the 8th centuries. The Mihranids, who were originally the owners of the Gardaman region (it is possible that this village of Khiv is one of the most ancient Tabasaran villages, the history of which is still little studied. In the 7th century, thanks to the efforts of the Grand Duke Jevanshir, they were able to actually recreate the Albanian kingdom.Mihran came from the Tabarist noble family of the Mihranids, descended from the Arshakids.The main representative of this dynasty was Javanshir Mihrani (636 - 680).

In 628, the Emperor Heraclius with his army comes to the Gardman region, baptizes Varaz Grigor and in every possible way contributes to the construction of churches throughout the country. Varaz Grigor was the first of the Mehranids to receive the title of prince of all Albania. Weakened by the wars with Byzantium, Iran with great difficulty restrains the onslaught of the Arabs. Albanian troops led by Jevanshir also participate in the battles with the Arabs. The Albanian historian Moses Kalankatuisky reports that Jevanshir has been participating in these wars against the Arabs for seven years with his detachment and shows himself to be a brave warrior and a talented military leader. In 636, a very important battle for the Arabs takes place between the Persians and the Arabs near the ancient capital of the Sassanids - Medain. Together with an 80,000-strong army from Atropatena, under the command of the Sassanian commander Rustam, Jevanshir and his detachment also participate in the battle. The Persian army is defeated, and Jevanshir's detachment retreats to Atropatena. Taking part in several more battles, Jevanshir understands that the days of the Sassanian state are numbered and in the same year he returns to his homeland in Albania. As the Albanian historian writes, “for seven years the brave Javanshir fought in these painful wars. Having received 11 severe wounds, he said goodbye to them "and" remembering the autocracy of the former Albanian kings, ... he decided not to subordinate his fate to anyone. " When in 639 the remnants of the Sassanid troops defeated by the Arabs invade the country, Jevanshir wages a protracted war with them. Historians note the courage shown by him in these battles: “he personally struck the famous Gegmazi, the leader of the army. He himself and his army with swords in their hands made a terrible dump in them (the Persians). Taking from them many captives, horses, mules and a lot of booty, they returned. In the mountains, they clashed again, and on that day he was victorious. The Persians cunningly capture the relatives of Jevanshir and again invade the borders of Albania. In the end, Jevanshir manages to finally defeat the Persians. These events took place in the village. Kondik (G'VANZHIKK) of the Khiva region.

In the upper side with. Kondik area is called "Iran Dagrar" (Lakes of Iran), and the gorge is "Dzhevenzhin gyar" (Jevanshir gorge). When trying to bypass the village of Kondik (Gvanzhikk) to go to the village. Zhuras (the village does not exist - it was destroyed in those years), the Albanian prince Jevanshir, at the head of Tabasaran, met the Persians, where a bloody massacre took place. Blood flowed like a river, curdling in the flat area, creating lakes. The Persians were driven into this gorge. This area is still called "Iran Dagrar" - (Lakes of Iran)), and the gorge - "Djevenzhin gyar" - (Jevanshir gorge).

After that, Jevanshir marries the daughter of the Syunik prince. However, for a long time Jevanshir fails to support the independence of Albania. In 654, the Arabs under the command of Salman ibn Rabiy, the commander of the Caliph Osman, invaded Albania. Beyond Derbent, the Khazars block their way. When the Arabs leave Derbent, the population of the city locks the gates behind them, and “the Khazar Khakan met them with his cavalry,” and four thousand Arabs are killed. Under Caliph Ali, civil strife greatly weakened the Caliphate, and Jevanshir, taking advantage of this, ceases to pay tribute to him. Albania's independence is now directly threatened by the Khazars and Byzantines. Dzhevanshir is forced to look for ways of rapprochement with Byzantium. He exchanges letters with the Byzantine emperor Constantine II and meets with him several times. Jevanshir offers Constantine II to accept the Albanian people under his protection and the Byzantine emperor accepts this offer with great joy. He sends Javanshir precious gifts from the Byzantine court, calling Javanshir the ruler of Gardman and the prince of Albania. As the Albanian historian writes: "He sent him as a gift magnificent gifts - silver thrones with carved gilded backs, gold-woven clothes, a sword showered with pearls from his loin ... He gave him from family to generation all the villages and borders of the Aghvan kings." The policy of rapprochement with Byzantium at this time was obviously justified. Two years after the conclusion of the treaty with Byzantium, Albania was invaded by the Khazars. The Khazars reach the Kura (Kurar), where the combined troops of the Albanians defeat them and force them to leave the borders of Albania. A few years later, the Khazars suddenly repeat their foray and this time they reach the Araks. Jevanshir is forced to negotiate with the Khazars. On the banks of the Kura, he meets the Khazar ruler. The meeting ends with the conclusion of a peace treaty, according to which the Khazars return the prisoners, and Jevanshir marries the daughter of the Khazar Khakan. The weakening of Byzantium in the fight against the Arabs allows Jevanshir to get out of its dependence and, as the Albanian historian writes, “to submit to the yoke of the ruler of the South”. In 667, he goes to negotiations in the capital of the Caliphate. The Caliph greets him with a solemnity corresponding to his rank and officially recognizes him as Prince of Albania. Three years later, Jevanshir received an invitation from the caliph to come to Damascus, this time as an intermediary in his negotiations with the emperor of Byzantium. Javanshir brilliantly copes with the duties of a mediator. Both contracting parties are satisfied with the results of the negotiations. After that, the Caliph agrees with Jevanshir's proposal to reduce the taxes that were imposed on Albania by one third. The Caliph subordinates the principality (Syunik?) To Jevanshir and asks to take control of Atropatena.

Atropatena (or Media Atropatena, Small Media; - a historical region in the north-west of modern Iran. Approximately corresponds to the territory of the Iranian province of Azerbaijan. It was part of the Parthian kingdom.

Jevanshir refuses the last offer. The great son of the Albanian people, Jevanshir, died in 669 from severe wounds inflicted on him by one of the participants in this conspiracy. Under him lived and worked the outstanding Albanian historian Moisey Kalankatuisky, the author of the "History of the Aluank country", dedicated to the history of Caucasian Albania.

From the message of Movses Kagankatvatsi himself, it is known that he was a native of the Utik region, the village of Kalankatuyk, from which his name comes from. Obviously, at the direction of Jevanshir, he wrote the "History of Albania", in which, in addition to the works of historians who preceded him, materials from the palace archives were used at his disposal. All the events described in the book took place in Tabasaran and Agul. In this work, two interesting messages have been preserved, which, in essence, leave no doubt about where Lpink was located. According to the first report, the Khazars, allegedly in order to avenge the death of Jivanshir, invaded Albania: would avenge Juansher's blood. He himself, at the head of his numerous squad, flew through the valleys and, having crossed the Kura River, crossed to the Uti gavar, and began to drive people and cattle from that gavar, robbed and drove everyone into full. Then all of them (the Huns) returned and camped in the valley near the borders of Lpink. "

). The dynasty got its name by the name of Sasana, father of Papak - the first king of Pars from the Sassanid clan. The founder of the Sassanid state was the son of Papak Ardashir I, the most important representatives were Shapur I, Shapur II, Kavad I, Khosrov I Anushirvan, Khosrov II Parviz. In the 7th century, the Sassanid state was conquered by the Arabs.

The founding of the dynasty

In 224, Ardashir I defeated the army of the Parthian king Artaban V in the battle of Ormizdakan, putting an end to the existence of the Parthian kingdom, and in 226/227 he was crowned in Ctesiphon, proclaiming himself Shahinshah (“Shah of the Shahs”), the heir of the ancient Achaemenids. Under Ardashir I and Shapur I (ruled 239-272), the Sassanids established their rule over all of Persia and annexed vast areas to the west and east of it to their state. In the 3rd century, a number of semi-independent regions remained in the Sassanid state: Sakastan (Sistan), Kerman, Merv, as well as autonomous cities such as policies. The successes of the Sassanids in foreign policy, and in particular the victory over Ancient Rome, contributed to the strengthening of the power of the Persian monarch, who took the title of shahinshah ("shah of shahs").
During the formation of the state, the Sassanids relied on the Zoroastrian priesthood. Zoroastrianism became the state religion of Persia. The end of the 3rd - the beginning of the 4th centuries became a period of weakening of the Sassanid state, failures in the struggle with Rome, a number of eastern regions became independent states. Shahinshah Shapur II (ruled 309-379) restored and consolidated the power of the Sassanids in some previously lost areas, in the confrontation with the Roman Empire, he conquered the disputed regions of Mesopotamia and Armenia, which was confirmed by the peace treaty of 387. From the beginning of the 5th century, the Sassanids mainly maintained peaceful relations with Byzantium.
Under Shapur II, the power of the king and the Zoroastrian church increased. The semi-independent kingdoms and possessions of the nobility that previously existed in the Sassanid state in the 4-5 centuries lost signs of independence. In the 5th century, the kings of the local dynasties of Armenia, Caucasian Albania, Iberia were replaced by the governors of the Sassanids. The construction of new "tsarist" cities was accompanied by the process of loss of autonomy by the city-states. The concentration of power in the hands of the highest representatives of the dignitaries, military leaders and priesthoods was accompanied by a growing social and political crisis in the 5th century. In the second half of the 5th century there were uprisings in Transcaucasia, in particular, in 571-572 - in Armenia. Until the middle of the 5th century, the Sassanids successfully fought the unions of the eastern nomadic tribes (Khionites), but the wars with the Hephthalites ended in the defeat and death of the Shahinshah Peroz (ruled 459-484); areas east of Merv were lost.

Dynasty crisis

In the early 490s, the Mazdakite movement began, under the influence of which changes took place in the system of government, the socio-political structure and culture of the Sassanid state. The post-Mazdakite time includes the strengthening of feudal relations while maintaining slavery. Within the rural community, in the course of property and official differentiation, a stratum of Azat-dekhkans - small and medium-sized landowners - emerged. Poor community members fell into dependence on them. In the 5th century, along with the poll tax and the tax on agricultural products (from a sixth to a third of the harvest), rural residents were subject to additional fees and duties. The division of the property of the large land nobility during the Mazdakit movement contributed to the development of the economy of the rural community members, but the Azat-dekhkans gained the greatest benefits. In the 5th century, the economic situation of most of the community members deteriorated sharply.
Under Khosrov I Anushirvan (ruled 531-579), part of the old nobility was dependent on the material assistance of the state and the shahinshah, who sought to prevent the revival of the political dominance of the nobility. During this period, the role of the bureaucratic apparatus and bureaucracy increased. The tax reforms of Kavada I (ruled in 488-496, 499-531) and Khosrov I established a fixed land tax harag (kharaj), a poll tax (gezit), from which the classes of warriors, clergy, and scribes were exempted. In the 6th century, the Sassanid state achieved new successes in foreign policy: in 558-568, the Hephtalites were defeated, a number of regions southwest of the Amu Darya were conquered, some of them lost by the 480s under Peroz. Yemen was conquered around 570, and the invading Turks were defeated around 589.
From the beginning of the 6th century, the Sassanids were drawn into wars with Byzantium. The war of Khosrov II with Byzantium (from 602) began successfully, the Persian troops occupied a number of eastern provinces of Byzantium, but in the early 620s the Byzantines won a number of victories, which led to the overthrow of Khosrov (628). The long war led to the depletion of the material resources of the Sassanid state, a sharp increase in taxes undermined political and economic stability. In 628-632, about a dozen monarchs were replaced on the throne. Under Yazdegerd III (ruled 632-651 / 652), the Sassanid state was conquered by the Arabs. The Persians suffered a decisive defeat in 642 at Mehavend, after which the Sassanid state practically collapsed. For about ten years, Yezdigird III resisted the invaders, trying to organize a rebuff to the Arabs in the east of the country, but in the end he was killed in the vicinity of Merv.

THE SASSANID DYNASTY

224 - 651

In 224 g. Ardashir I founded the third Iranian Sassanid dynasty after the victory over the Parthian king Artaban IV of the Arshakid dynasty. Artashir I Papakan was born in 190, the son of Papak, Shah of Istahrdat 220-224, the great Shahanshah of Eran 224-239.

By the III century. n. NS. Iran was a state, only nominally united under the rule of the Parthian dynasty of Arshakids. In fact, it consisted of many scattered semi-independent, and at times independent regions, headed by kings from the local large nobility, representatives of powerful aristocratic families. Constant civil strife, wars, clashes have significantly weakened Iran. The military might of the Roman Empire and its active policy in the East forced the Parthians to cede a number of northern cities of Mesopotamia to it. The Arshakids were attacked in their own capital, which had been repeatedly in the hands of imperial soldiers.

The new unification of Iran began from a different center. The province of Pars, located in the south-west, where the ancient Pasargadae, the birthplace of the Achaemenids, were located, played an important role in the history of Iran (Pars, or Fars, gave derivative words - Persian, Persian, Persia, - adopted by the Greeks instead of the name "Iran").

The priest - the magician of the temple of the goddess Anahit, Sasan, belonged to the royal family of Fars and occupied a prominent position. His son Papak was the ruler of Istakhr and had the title of king. The grandson of Sasan, the son of Papak Artashir, rose up, having the support of the priestly circles and part of the clan nobility. Gradually expanding his possessions at the expense of neighboring lands, he became so strong that he defeated and overthrew the most prominent of the rulers of Pars. Artashira fought with his brothers for the sole seizure of power. He emerged victorious from this struggle. The desire to unite Iran led him to an inevitable clash with the Arshakids.

Starting his career as a modest ruler of the Darabgerd fortress, Artashir not only became a firm foot in Pars, but annexed the region of Isfahan and Kerman, and finally invaded Khuzistan, directly bordering Mesopotamia, and moved north. The Parthian army moved towards him. On April 20, 224, a decisive battle took place on the Ormizdagan plain between the last king of the Parthian dynasty Artaban V and Artashir. Artashir won the victory. However, in order to become the head of Iran, Artashir had to conquer 80 kings and capture their regions. But Fars (Pars) did not play the role of the central region of the state, although palaces were built here and magnificent rock reliefs remained. The capital, in accordance with the tradition of the Arshakids, became Seleucia and Ctesiphon, "cities" on the Tigris. Here, in the west, the most fertile regions were located, there were many cities, and trade routes connected Iran with the Mediterranean harbors, with Armenia, Caucasian Albania, Georgia, Lazika, with the Persian Gulf coast and southern Arabia.

In 226, Artashir was solemnly crowned and took the title of king of kings (shahanshah). He consistently continued his conquests, subjugated Media with the city of Hamadan, the regions of Sakastan and Khorasan. Through persistent struggle, Adorbaigan (Azerbaijan) and a significant part of Armenia were captured. There is information that Margiana (the Merv oasis), Sistan and Mekran were subordinate to him. Thus, the border of his state reached the lower reaches of the Amu Darya, where the regions of Khorezm were. In the east, the Kabul River valley was the limit, so that part of the Kushan regions was part of Iran. This gave rise to the rulers of Khorasan, usually the senior princes of the Sassanian clan, to add "king of the Kushans" to other titles. The Sassanids themselves called their state the "State of the Iranians (Aryans)".

Sassanid army

The official name of the army adopted in the Sassanian state is the Army of Rostam (Rustam) - Rostam Spâh’e. It was formed under Ardashir I Papakan, the founders of the Sassanid dynasty. The Sassanid army was founded partly by the revival of the Achaemenid military organization, bringing in elements from the Parthian military organization, and adapted to the requirements of the time. The history of the Sassanid army is divided into two periods, pre-reform from Ardashir I to Khosrov Anushirvan, and post-reform from the reign of Khosrov Anushirvan to the fall of the dynasty. The fundamental difference between the two periods is that the army of the model created by Ardashir was essentially an irregular army, with personal squads of individual feudal lords, then the post-reform army created by Khosrov Anushirvan was regular and professional.

“And if you want to know more about the Yarov family, you should know that in the old years, in the Troyan centuries, this family was great and glorious. - from Odin, the governor from the clan of Bogumirov. And this Arius the Old and the Seven Rivers, and the Five Rivers, and the land of Sinka, and the land of Tarsh, and Gretzkolan, and the kingdom of Pontus.

And then there lived Prince Samo, the son of Troyan, who chained the Serpent Carangel on the Black Mountain and threw it into the Black Sea, called the Pontus by the Greeks. And this prince himself had a son - the great prince Svyatoyar, and he gave birth to the mighty Rus from Rudyana, the granddaughter of the Serpent. And that prince Rus was fed by the birds Gamayun and Finist on the Alatyr Mountain. And their descendants ruled in all the Aryan lands from sea to sea; their tombs of white stone are still in the Belykh mountains near the walls of the Kiyar-grad of Antsky.

And so the children of Arius, a descendant of Bohumir, received this part of the land, the Borus and Lyutichi - on the shores of the Venedian Sea, the Golyady - in the Albian mountains, the Karpeni - in the Carpathians, the glade and the northerners - on the Dnieper, Budins on the Voronezh River, the Antes - on the Don -rek. And the fair-haired Alans, the descendants of Rus and Arius the Old, received the whole country of Alania on the White Mountains between Pontus and the Volyn Sea as a gift.

Then, at noon, those lands of the Aryans were conquered by Tsar Alexander (the Seleucids ruled in Iran 330-150 BC), the son of the Serpent of Gretskolan, and he came and defeated Prince Bus Kiisak from the kingdom of God Surya, called Bactria by the Greeks. And so the Greeks took possession of that land, and ruled in the midday countries for a hundred years. But Prince Yarsak the Brave (Arshak I. Arshakid dynasty 250 BC - 224 AD) and the clans of the parns drove them out, and mixed that land with their blood, and so they returned the land of fathers and grandfathers. And then the descendants of Yar the king ruled in the Aryan land for five hundred years.

And so the Rus had seventy-two great dukes from Bohumir to Bus. The kings of the Aryan lands for four hundred and fifty years, from Yarsak the Brave to Yarban, were thirty. Yarban was overthrown by the accursed Yarsak of Saksania (Ardashir I), who crushed the dominion of the boys, who took possession of the Parsian kingdom five hundred and fifty years before the birth of Bus, our Life-Giver.

And from the clan of those Aryans in Alania, twenty-six kings reigned - from Veliyar to Bus Beloyar (born in 295), the son of Tsar Dazhn.

Fall of Marabel Star and assassination of Yarban - April 27, 224 Confirmation of Yarsak of Saksania on the Aryan throne (224 - 239).

And so it happened that at the end of five hundred years of the domination of the Yarov clan, a star named Marabel fell behind the mountains of the Saints. And those mountains shook, and chasms opened, and the rivers flowed back like at the end of the world. And where Marabel fell, was found by the priest Papa-Sakom-Black Stone.
And this priest Papa-Sak inserted a fragment of that stone into the ring, and put it on the Veles finger of his left hand, and so he gained power over the fire of Pekla and the darkness of Navi.

And that priest and his wife Svayara had a son, named by them, like the first king of Ariana, - Yarsak the White. We called him the Black Yarsak, because he inherited Marabel - a stone, and his power was not God's, and his deeds are black.
And that Yarsak from the Saksanian clan found out that the serpent Karandzhel languishes at the bottom of the sea, overthrown by the great Budai-Sak, and chained in the old years by the forefather Samo, the brightest of Budai's disciples. And by the power of that Marabel-stone, the Black Yar opened the waters in the Black Sea, and went along the bottom to the dragon's dungeon, and broke its chains. And then, having subdued the Serpent, he received a gift from him - the Cross-Sword of Karanjel, which struck like lightning. And soon with that sword, he struck down Jaraban from the clan of Old Arius, who ruled in those years in the Aryan land. And the Black Sea shook with great storms, and the serpent Carangel appeared from the sea in a pillar of fire. And the great priest of fire Papa-sak with his son Yarsak bowed to him; and they built the Temple of Raging Fire. And so Yar Saksanian himself and his family began to assert the power of the sword by the power of the serpent, and he served them, as a priest serves his sovereigns. And from this Black Yar came a generation of Parsian kings, called Saksanian after the land of their kind. And they began to glorify the Serpent of Carangel there, while the smoke from those victims spread like a gloom over the Aryan land. This is how Carangel became the true ruler of the Parsian kingdom. And he entered the body of the high priest, who took the name Karandar, and his secret power was higher than the power of the king, for although he owned the stone Marabel, he himself was afraid of the power of Caranjel. And then the kings of the Yarov clan, from midnight to noon, went to war against the Saksanian clan and against the serpent that served them. And the blood then flowed in rivers for seventy years, until the Light of Glory shone in the land of Ruskolan; and so the Sun of Righteousness rose over Russia, and Prince Dazhen-Yar had a son and heir - Bus light Beloyarov. And about the death of Prince Yarban, the singer Zaryan composed a song-cry. And there was a funeral feast at the great gathering of the people. And the memory of that tsar is still honored and mourned. "

Bas-relief depicting Artashir in the Naqshi-Rustam necropolis

The mythological tradition that dominates Iranian culture dates back to the Book of Acts of Artashir Papakan (Kārnāmak-i Artašir-i Pāpakān), written according to the direction of the Armenian historian Moses Khorensky, in the 4th century. under the great-great-grandson of Artashir, Shapur II. Using the motive of the "secret heir" characteristic of this culture, the "Book of Acts" makes Papak the grandfather of Artashir by his mother, and the father - Sassan, allegedly the only surviving offspring of the ancestral kings of Iran before Alexander. Sasan serves as a shepherd for Papak, king of Pars, until his origin is revealed to him in three wonderful dreams, which also announce the extraordinary lot of his offspring. Papak calls Sasan to him, and he tells about his origin and becomes the son-in-law of the king. From the marriage of Sasan with the daughter of Papak, Artashir is born. The supreme ruler of Pars and Spakhan (pehl. Spāhān, pl. From spāh "warrior" late. Ispahan). Then the Parthian Artavan (Artaban) appears. By his order, 15-year-old Artashir arrives at his court. At first, he occupies an exceptional place under the shah, but then falls into disgrace, having argued on the hunt with the son of Artavan, and then flees to Pars with the beloved servant of the shah, who heard the predictions of the court astrologers that the days are coming when Artashir is destined to acquire the farr of the king of kings Iran (from ave. Xvarnah-, special gift, the grace of divine chosenness). She also steals the signs of royal power for Artashir, and Farr follows them in the form of a beautiful ram. Artavan sets off in pursuit of him, but to no avail: learning on the way that the ram has caught up with Artashir, the advisers tell him that further pursuit is useless and that what was foreseen from above will come true. Having defeated Artavan, Artashir executes him and all the men of the Ashkanid family (that is, the Arshakids), except for Artavan's two sons, who manage to escape to India, and marries his daughter. Then he wages a war with the Kurds, at first unsuccessful, but in the end victorious. This is followed by a fabulous story about the victory of Artashir over the monstrous Worm who lived with a certain farmer Haftobad, who, thanks to this, became invincible. All of Artashir's military ventures against him turn out to be collapse, and even his life is under immediate threat. It turned out to be a possible trick to defeat the monster, after which Artashir returned to his first capital, Artashir-Khvarrah ("the supreme gift, the grace of Artashir", N. Firuzabad) .. But soon the life of Artashir is exposed to a new threat. The surviving sons of Artavan plot to take revenge on him and force their sister to give him a goblet of poisoned drink. However, the goblet falls out of her hand and breaks, and she herself confesses everything. In anger, Artashir gives the order to execute her along with her brothers, despite the fact that she has already suffered from him. However, the wise mobedan-mobed (the head of the Zoroastrian clergy) hides the queen and her son, who was given the name Shapur, until the latter was 7 years old. Once an incident on a hunt inspires Artashir with bitter thoughts about his own lonely childlessness, upon returning to the palace he summons all the highest ranks of the state, and then the mobedan-mobed seeks from him the complete forgiveness of the queen and recognition of Shapur as the son and heir of the Shahanshah. Further, the story is, as it were, reflected in the mirror: Shapur falls in love with the daughter of Mihrak, the king, the sworn enemy of Artashir, and he has to hide this connection, as well as the son of Ohrmazd, born of her. However, the boy attracts the attention of his grandfather by his bold behavior while playing chovgan (polo) and, having learned the truth, Artashir recognizes his grandson. This version is repeated by Ferdowsi, with some variations. Thus, the family tree of Sasan is traced back in Shah-Name to Artashir, nicknamed Bakhman (“Blagomyslenny”), the son of the hero Tsarevich Isfandiyar and the grandson of Kei Gushtasp (Kavi Vishtaspa “Avesta”, the first according to Zoroastrian historiography, who adopted the teachings of Zaratushtra). Modern scholars identify this Artashir Bahman with Artaxerxes I Achaemenides.

Zend-i Vohuman Yasht

He is also mentioned in the Pahlavian apocalyptic work "Zend-i Vohuman Yasht" (Interpretation on Yasht Good Thought "), where Ohrmazd shows his Prophet a tree with branches of different metals, each of which denotes the reign of different kings: Kay Artashir, called Vohuman (late Bahman - K.P.), the son of Spendadat, the one who separates demons from people, scatters them and spreads the rule of piety in the whole world. and King Shapur, when he arranges the world created by Me, Ohrmazd; he will make prosperity prevail within the world, and the revelation of kindness will be evident ... "(Ch. 2 17-18): it is noteworthy that the reign of the Arshakid (" Ashkanid ") dynasty is here staged after the reign of the first Sassanids In another Zoroastrian work "Jamasp Namak" ("Book of Jamasp") Artashir is called "Bahman Babegan" (late pazend from "Papakan"). water "Denkard", at the behest of Artashir, the high priest Tusar (or Tansar) collected the surviving lists of the books of the Avesta and having studied them, established the canon of mazdayasna, a religion according to the teachings of Zarathushtra. Tusar's message to the king of Tabaristan is known, with an admonition to recognize Artashir as the legitimate sovereign of Iran. However, the name of Tusar is not in ŠKZ, which does not mention priestly titles at all at the court of Artashir.

Agafia's version

The same version in a somewhat caricatured form is presented by the Byzantine historian Agathius, referring to the anonymous opinions of the Persians (II, 27): Pabek, a shoemaker experienced in astrology, predicted that a certain warrior Sasan, who was staying in his house, would become the ancestor of the most glorious and happiest kind, and brought him to his wife. From this, the son of Artaxar was born, and when he seized the royal power, a fierce dispute broke out between Sasan and Pabek over who should be considered his father; in the end, both agreed to regard Artaxar as the son of Pabek, but born of the seed of Sasan.

The rise of the Sassanids is represented differently by Muslim authors (Ibn al-Athir, Tabari, Bal'ami), and also. from the Antiochian patriarch Eutyches (d. 929). Pars was ruled by the Bazrangid dynasty, to which Papak's wife belonged. Papak himself, the son of Sasan, was the ruler of a small region near the capital of Pars Istakhr and the chief priest of the ancestral temple of Ardvisura Anahita. Artashir was the second son of Papak and was raised by the ruler of the city of Darabgird, who made him his heir. Following this, Papak makes a coup in Pars and makes Shapur king, however, after a while he gives the royal power to Artashir. Having reigned in Pars, Artashir extended his power to some of the surrounding areas and, having defeated the last Parthian shahanshah Artavan, he himself proclaimed himself “the king of kings”.

Coin inscriptions

Ardashir's Silver Coin

This version is fully confirmed by the inscriptions on the coins, as well as the entire corpus of the early Sassanian solemn inscriptions, first of all Shapur I, the son of Artashir, on the so-called. "Kaaba of Zoroaster" (ŠKZ). The Bazrangid coin series have been known since the Seleucid times until the beginning of the 3rd century. according to R. Kh .; their original title was frataraka, c. II century BC it is replaced by the royal one (bgy X. MLK '"divine X. king" on the obverse, and BRH bgy Y MLK' "son of the divine Y. king" on the reverse "). Papak's coins are unknown to us; on ŠKZ he has a royal title, and Sasan has the title “ruler.” Several coins of his son Shapur are known, bearing on the obverse the image of Shapur himself wearing the same headdress (kulakh) of the Pars kings as the Bazrangids; on the reverse - Papak in a kulakh of a special form. ŠKZ also mentions Papak's mother Denak (but it is not said whether she was Sasan's wife), his wife Rutak and other sons, as well as his daughter Denak, later, according to the Zoroastrian custom, Artashir's wife The year of the change of the dynasty in Istakhr is calculated from the inscription on the votive column next to the statue of Shapur, the son of Artashir, in Bishapur According to the chronology of S. Taghizade, the date of Papak's death is 223.
Having established himself in Istakhr, Artashir for some time waged a war with the Pars dynasts, and then expanded the scope of his campaigns to Kerman and Seistan 208.) Was Wallarsh V, and after 5 years Artavan declared himself Shahanshah of Iran, but really ruled only in Media and North. Iran. In 215-218 Wallarsh V futile war with Rome; silver tetradrachms with his name were issued in Seleucia until 223. The decisive battle between Artashir and Artavan took place, according to Tagizad, on 28.04.227 at Hormizdagan. In the same year, Artashir was crowned king of the kings of Iran. However, at the same time, Artavan's son Artavazd minted coins until 539 of the Seleucid era (229/230). The main support of Artashir was the vassal kingdoms of Mesopotamia that obeyed him, and also. Kerman and Mekran. In 231-232 the Roman emperor Alexander the North went to Iran; the campaign did not bring real results, and a new campaign follows in 234-235. Its beginning was successful for the Romans, but then Artashir reaches Antioch; in a letter sent by him with the embassy to Rome, he puts forward claims on the territory "before Ionia and Caria", referring to the fact that they belonged to the Persians "from the time of their ancestors."
Moses Khorensky also reports on the revolt against Artashir of the noble Parthian family of the Karen. They turn to the Armenian king Khosrov for help, but the latter's efforts are not supported by the noble families in Iran, including the Suren family, to which Khosrov himself, and the deposed Artavan, and later, St. Gregory the Illuminator, Baptist of Armenia. Then Artashir exterminates the entire Karen clan, except for one boy, Perozmat, who was taken to the Kushan kingdom. In general, the deeds of Artashir in the east of Iran are less known than in the west.
According to Tabari, Artashir conquered Merv, Balkh, Khorezm, and the ambassadors of the "king of the Kushans, the king of Turan and Markuran" recognize his suzerainty to him in Pars. However, this is not confirmed by the ŠKZ data, in which the king Aprenka, the king of Merv, the king of Kerman and the king of Sakas are mentioned at the court of Artashir. Apparently, they did not belong to the Sasan clan and were local dynasts.
According to ŠKZ, Artashir built three cities: Artashir-khnum, Veh-Artashir and the already mentioned Artashir-Hvarrah. At the last city, following the ancient tradition of the Shahanshahs of Iran, he carved one of his investment reliefs and a relief of triumph over Artavan .. In total, there are five reliefs of Artashir: two others with scenes of his "divine investiture" were carved in Naqsh-i-Rustam, next to reliefs of the Achaemenids, and another in Darabgird, telling about the triumph over the Romans. A year before his death, Artashir made his son Shapur his co-ruler.

Sassanids

dynasty of Iranian shahs in 224-651. Founder - Ardashir I. The Sassanid state was conquered by the Arabs (7th century). The most important representatives: Ardashir I, Shapur I, Shapur II, Kavad I, Khosrov I Anushirvan, Khosrov II Parviz.

Sassanids

Iranian dynasty that ruled from the 3rd to 7th centuries. in the Near and Middle East; came from Pars (see Fars); named after Sasan, apparently, the father of Papak - the first king of Pars from the clan of S. the end of the Parthian kingdom, and in 226/227 he was crowned at Ctesiphon. Under Ardashir I and Shapur I (ruled 239-272) Iran was united and vast regions annexed to the west and east of it. In the 3rd century. In the state of S., a number of "kingdoms" still survived: Sakastan (Sistan), Kerman, Merv, and others, as well as autonomous cities such as policies. Serbia's successes in foreign policy, and in particular victories over Rome, consolidated Serbia's state and led to the strengthening of the central power of the Shahinshah (“king of kings”). Already during the formation of the state, the S. relied on the Iranian priesthood. Zoroastrianism became the state religion, the Zoroastrian Church is one of the main political and economic forces of the country. Late 3rd - early 4th centuries - a period of temporary internal weakening of the state of S., failures in the struggle against Rome; at this time, a number of regions in the East fell away from the S. state. Shapur II (reigned from 309 to 379) restored and consolidated Serbia's power in some previously lost regions; in the wars with the Roman Empire, the disputed regions of Mesopotamia and about 4/5 of the Armenian kingdoms were ceded to the north (by treaty 387); with Byzantium until the beginning of the 6th century. S. mostly maintained peaceful relations. In the 5th century. the kings of the local dynasties of Armenia, Caucasian Albania, and Iberia were replaced by the governors of S. Under Shapur II, the power of the king and the Zoroastrian church was strengthened. The construction of new "royal" cities was accompanied by the loss of autonomy for the old cities. Some of the pre-existing "kingdoms" and semi-dependent possessions of the nobility in the 4th and 5th centuries. disappear. The concentration of power in the hands of the highest representatives of the dignitaries, military leaders and priesthoods was accompanied by an increase in the exploitation of the Iranian community and the growth in the 5th century. social and political crisis; in the 2nd half of the 5th century. uprisings took place in Transcaucasia, in 571-572 in Armenia. Until the middle of the 5th century. The S. successfully fought the associations of the eastern and northern tribes (the Chionites, etc.), but the wars with the Hephthalites ended with the defeat of the S. and the death of Tsar Peroz (ruled 459-484). The S. lost areas east of Merv. In the early 90s. 5 c. The Mazdakite movement began, after which profound changes take place in the system of government, the socio-political structure, and culture of the state of S. The post-Mazdakite time includes the beginning of the development (or strengthening) of feudal relations, while maintaining the importance of the slave-owning system. Within the community, in the course of property and official differentiation, a stratum of Azat-dekhkans emerged, from among whom small and medium-sized landowners gradually emerged; the ruined members of the community and its slaves fell into dependence on them. In the 5th century. along with the poll tax and the agricultural tax. products (from 1/6 to 1/3 of the harvest), the peasants were subject to various fees and duties. The division of the property of the nobility during the Mazdakite movement contributed to the development of the peasant economy, but the Azat dekhkans gained the greatest benefits. In the 5th century. the economic situation of the majority of the community members deteriorated sharply. Under Khosrov I Anushirvan (ruled 531-579), part of the old nobility found itself in direct economic dependence on the state and the king, who financially supported it, but sought to prevent the revival of its political dominance. The role of the bureaucratic apparatus and bureaucracy has grown. Tax reform of Kawada I (ruled 488-496, 499-53

≈ Khosrova I established a fixed land tax harag (see Kharaj), as well as a poll tax (gezit), from which the orders of warriors, clergy and scribes were exempted. In the 6th century. The S. state achieved great success in foreign policy: in 558-568 the Hephthalites were defeated, and the S. state included a number of regions in Afghanistan and Central Asia (to the southwest of the Amu Darya, some of which were lost by the 1980s. at Peroz; about 570 Yemen was conquered; about 589 the Turks who invaded the state of S.

led first to the seizure of S. eastern provinces of Byzantium, but then, after the defeat of the Iranian troops in the early 1920s. 7th century, Khosrov was overthrown (628). A long war, which led to the depletion of the state's material resources, and a sharp increase in taxes undermined the political and economic power of S .; in 628-632 about 10 kings were replaced. Under Yazdegerd III (reigned 632-651/652), the state of S. was conquered by the Arabs.

Lit .: Pigulevskaya N.V., Byzantium and Iran at the turn of the 6th and 7th centuries, M. ≈ L., 1946; her, Mesopotamia at the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries, M. ≈ L., 1940; Lukonin V.G., Culture of Sassanian Iran, M., 1969; Perikhanyan A.G., Sasanian code of law, Er., 1973; Fry RN, The Legacy of Iran, [trans. from English], M., 1972; Nöldeke Th., Geschichte der Perser und Araber zur Zeit der Sasaniden, Leyden, 1879; Christensen A., Lranous les Sassanides, 2nd ed., Cph., 1944; Ghirshman R., Parthes et Sassanides, P., 1962.

E. A. Grantovsky.

Wikipedia

Sassanids

Sassanids- a dynasty of Persian rulers (shahinshahs) who ruled in the Sassanian Empire from 224 to 651.

Examples of the use of the word Sassanids in literature.

It should be noted that Sassanids Culturally, they pursued a policy of restoration of the original Persian values ​​inherent in the Achaemenid era, as opposed to the Arshakils, who cultivated some of the Greek elements that existed in the Seleucid kingdom.