Shahram Jalilian
Abstract
During the Sāsānid era, “Dīvān-e Sepāh” (in Arabic and Persian sources: “Dīvān al-Jūnd”, “Dīvān al-Jeyš”, “Dīvān al-Moqātala” ...
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During the Sāsānid era, “Dīvān-e Sepāh” (in Arabic and Persian sources: “Dīvān al-Jūnd”, “Dīvān al-Jeyš”, “Dīvān al-Moqātala” or “Dīvān-e Sepāh”), was one of the most important organizations of the Sāsānid Empire, directing the warfare and guarding the borders of the country. Some of the experienced secretaries of this organization, who were called “Dabīr-e Sepāh”/ “Secretary of the corps” (in Arabic sources: Kātib al-Jūnd” or “Kātib al-Jeyš”), went to war with the Corps and as chroniclers/ historians, reported the war with the enemies and the actions of the fighters and the commander of the corps. They also wrote the list of spoils of war as well as the number of troops killed in the war and reported to the king. These secretaries, who during the battle, carried out correspondence between the army commander and the king or others, were also the special “eyes and ears” of the king in the army, and with their presence, the army and commanders were less likely to engage in secret activities and rebellion against the king. Thus, this study will discuss the importance of the “Dabīr-e Sepāh” in the Sāsānian bureaucracy, as well as their roles in wars, as the “eyes and ears” of the king and as event writer/ historians in the corps.
