Persian Spahbed

By Crusader1307

The Spahbed was a Military Rank seen in The Sasanian Empire (Neo-Persian) of the 2nd to 6th Century AD. The term was translated to mean ''Army Chief''. The Spahbed was similar to a General in modern military terms. Of all Spahbed in an Army, one was chosen as Head or Eran (Spahbed). With the fall of The Sasanian Empire to Muslim incursions (and political in-fighting), many Spahbed retained their Royally granted Titles, carving out small section of their former Armies who were still loyal and wished to remain. These would form Clans of Warriors who took to many mountainous regions in what would become Iran and Iraq. Many devolved from their former military disciplines into Bandits. The Spahbed identifier as a military rank would be adopted by Armenia and even Greece. The Title is still a component of the modern Iranian and Iraqi Armies, associated with a Lieutenant-General.