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Ave Civitas,
Much has been written about the organization of the Roman army, legions, cohortes, auxilia, milites, vexillations, and the differences between the field army and the border troops.
Does anyone know how the Persian army was organized. I would imagine that they must have had some equivelant units, both among their mobile field army and troops who garrisoned border stations, patrolled the eastern boundaries, etc.
I have never seen a document, book, article, anything, that listed, or even spoke of such organization.
The types of troops, Clibanarii, and mounted archers, I find all the time, but surely they had some organization to them.
Any ideas?
Me.
AKA Tom Chelmowski
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AFAIK there are three general unit sizes mentioned:
* Vasht: probably 100men
* Drafsh: probably 1,000 men (that type of unit has its own banner and Drafsh is the world for banner and unique heraldry). IMHO these units can be liken to regiments and were th
* Gund: probably 10,000 men, was the name for an army division
it is very likely that the Sassanians used a decimal system for their units (as their forebearer, the Achaemenids).
so they had titels as Hazarmard (thousand-men) and Hazarbad (chief of thousand).
We know some Sassanian units by their names:
The most famous are the Zhayedan ("Immortals"), a revival of the old Achaemenid unit of the same name. Given the Sassanians` fever to emulate so many of the dynasty they claimed to be their true heirs, they probably used the same structure and unit size (10,000).
Then there were the Pushtighban ("Guards"), the Shahanshah`s own body guards. They numbered 1,000 men (a Drafsh).
The Gyan-Avspa (Sacrificer of their life") - maybe a unit with religious Zoroastrian background or being recruited from prisoners of war who had to fight to prove their worth and get their freedom.
The Drafsh-i-Waralz ("The Boar regiment") - a famous regiment of Khosrau I `s era.
The Peroozetae ("The Victorious One") - a regiment of Khosrau II`s era.
The Khosrowgetae ("Khosrau`s Own) - another regiment of Khosrau II`s era.
The Zarrin-Nizzagan ("Golden Spearmen") - a large army of 50,000 men, probably a complete Spahbod`s military district army.
So you see, the Sassanians gave names to their units, often related to the unit`s heraldry or reflecting a special relationhip to their leaders (commander, recruiting region, Clans, kings, Shahanshah) or other colourful names in Eastern tradition.
Hope that helps.
Gäiten
a.k.a.: Andreas R.
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Ave Gäiten,
Thank you very much. I found an article on the Sassanid army on Wikipedia, but there too the general organization, which you so kindly provided, was missing.
As always, you guys are great.
Me.
AKA Tom Chelmowski
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@ Lothia:
You are welcome
I may recommend you two book if you are interested in more about the Sassanian army:
David Nicholle: Sassanian Armies - early 3rd to mid-7th centuries AD (Montvert Publication)
Dr Kaveh Farrokh: Sassanian Elite Cavalry (Osprey Publishing)
@ Vortigern Studies
Then they would have been subdued by the Romans :wink:
Gäiten
a.k.a.: Andreas R.
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Ave Gäiten,
Thanks for the titles. I will see if I can get the book by David Nicholle. I appreciate your response.
Me.
AKA Tom Chelmowski
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Quote:No no no, surely it would have been a volunteer regiment from the Free Dacian Empire, sent east to bolster the Sassanid defense against the Evil Empire.
Hmm, in that case I think the Gyan Avspa (Sacrificer of their life) would be the better name
Gäiten
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Can anyone tell me how Sassanid manage the Paighan or infantry? I need someone to explain how it works and are they as weak as the majority thought also are there any division that distinguish regular and levy because most people think Sassanid Paighan are pitiful rabbles summon to the battlefield for siege work or serve as cannon fodder. An Empire without infantry is like a man without basic immunity and if Sassanid was an Empire without basic immunity then they are doomed for good.
