Sassanian
Elite Cavalry ( 224 AD - 642 AD )
Osprey Publishing, England, United Kingdom
ISBN: 1841767131 (Elite 110)
Written: Dr. Kaveh Farrokh
Ilustrated: Angus McBride
Book Review: Dr. David Khoupenia
Dr. Kaveh Farrokh,
The Author
The Sassanians are one of history's most enigmatic dynasties. Dr.
Kaveh Farrokh has written the first book to be ever written exclusively
about the Savaran (elite knights) of Sassanian Persia. Despite very
little "press coverage", these Persian knights inflicted
upon Rome, some of her most desperate defeats. The Savaran blocked
the Romans from gaining control of the Silk Route and denied their
expansion towards China and India. They also fully avenged the conquests
of Alexander the Great, almost a millennia before them. Many westerners
falsely believe that Alexander's conquest of Persia was final. In
reality, Persia recovered, not only to expel the Greeks from Persia
under the Parthians, but to challenge Rome itself under the Sassanians.
Farrokh is correct when he notes that Persia was "the other
superpower". Dr. Farrokh's book is:
Sassanid Elite Cavalry
L. Marzban of Abarshahr
C. Sassanian Commander Knight (Framandar)
R. Paygospanan Banu (Female Warrior)
What is also
unique about title page of Dr. Farrokh's book is how it dispels
current stereotypes about Persian women in today's Western world.
The figure to the right of the picture shows a Persian female warrior/governess
known as the Paygospanan Banu (see close-up below):
Paygospanan Banu
Sassanian Female Warrior - Governess
She has fired
arrows into two Turanian warriors and is about to draw her fatal
arrow against them. In the middle is a late Sassanian commander
knight (Framandar) and to the left is the Marzban of Abarshahr who
has drawn his sword. In Sassanian Persia, women acted as warriors,
commanders and leaders. I was especially fond of the reconstruction
of Khosrow II and his beautiful queen, Shireen (see below).
L. Shahbanu Shirin Sassanid
R. Shahanshah Khosrow Parviz Sassanid (Khosrow II)
Dr. Farrokh's
reconstruction of Shireen's dress is based on his research at Tagh-e-Bostan
(near Kermanshah) as well as isolated regions in western Iran, especially
the Qaderi Kurds, among whom many Sassanian female dresses still
survive. As you see in the reconstruction, Shireen was a Christian
(note her cross).
Dr. Farrokh's
book is replete with major color painting reconstructions of the
Sassanian knights, their ceremonies, medallions, flags and tactics.
There are also many rare photographs in the book. Seven of the full
color restorations have been made by Angus McBride, a world class
historical painter with decades of distinguished achievements. McBride
was given original drawings by Dr. Farrokh along with detailed instructions
as to make his color paintings possible. These are spectacular and
bring the forgotten Sassanian men and women to life. It took Dr.
Farrokh 17 years to complete his research for this book. There are
references to the elite units of the Savaran, such as the Pushtighban
(see below):
A Pushtiqban
[An Elite Savaran (Sassanid Cavalry) Unite]
At first glance,
the above painting resembles a "European" knight. In fact,
these types of knights first appeared amongst the Iranian peoples
and the Sassanians in particular.
The world owes
so much to the Sassanian Persians. It is from the Sassanians that
we have inherited the term "rank" system in the west -
Dr. Farrokh notes how 'rank" is derived from "Rang"
(colour) in Persian. Even the game of chess is Persian - the Sassanian
knights engaged in this to develop their mental agility and prowess.
The game of Polo is originally Persian - Ardashir I, the founder
of the Sassanians, was find of Polo. The Sassanian knights were
not only warriors, but also scholars and artists, fond of learning.
Despite their downfall in the 7th century AD, the legacy of the
Savaran endures in Europe, the Caucasus, China, India and the Muslim
world. It was the elite cavalry of Sassanian Persia who were the
forerunners of the later Medieval European knights, the Arabian
Faris, the Caucasian horsemen, the Indian Suwar (derived from Persian
Savar), and the Turkish Tarkhans. This book has bought an almost
forgotten great people back to life. Every year we seen dozens of
new books about Rome and Greece in western book stands, and very
few book of the caliber of Dr. Farrokh's book about Persia. It is
my hope that more books like these will be printed; after all Sassanian
Persia and her Savaran knights are an important part of world civilization.
A version of Sassanid Derafsh Kaviyani
with Persian Eagle
The above depicts
the banner of Persia's mythical hero, Kaveh. Dr. Farrokh displays
all the banners used by the Sassanians during their reign. Note
how similar the eagle symbol is to that seen among many nations
of the world today. Persia has given so much to the world and is
appreciated so little.
Dr. David Khoupenia
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