Sassanid Governors

[Hobbes.]

Hello, I am working on a mod for CKII and I was wondering if there is any source on Sassanid governors (names and what they ruled). Any help would be appreciated! Thank you, in advance.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Governors? Or do you mean which noble house ruled where.

[Kitsunegari]

Vahriz (or Wahriz) was governor of the Yemen after it was taken from the Axumites in the mid 6th century, but as blatta says it was most lands were part of a prestigous family's domains. Btw what's CKII?

[Hobbes.]

Yeah, satraps or whatever. If information on the people themselves is difficult to find, family names would be useful. Mostly interested in the late 5th century.

[Kitsunegari]

I'm not as familiar with that era, but from the 6th to 7th centuries: Rustam Farrokhzad was a famous noble, who commanded the Persian forces at al-Qadissiya. Other famous commanders (possibly titles rather than names in some cases): Shahin, Sharhvaraz, Khardarigan, Azarethes, Bahman, Bahram Chobin

[Flypurplehamster]

Ardashir, the first Sassanid emperor, was governor of Persis.
Grumbates was a Sassanid Afghani ally king who fought the Romans alongside emperor Shapur II.
Mundhir, king of Al-Hirah, supported the Sassanids against the Romans.
Shahrbaraz was a general, if you’re just looking for names.
Bahman, or "the one with artificially accentuated eyebrows” to the Arabs.
Peroz III was head of the Governorate of Persia, essentially what formed after the Sassanid royal family fled to Tang China.
Pirouzan was a governor present at the Battle of Nahavand.
Vahriz was a Sassanid governor of Yemen.
Azarmahan was a Sassanid governor of Kerman, Sistan, and Baluchistan.

Hope this helps. If you want names, though, why don’t you just use the ones already found in BI?

[Hobbes.]

Is BI historically accurate?

[Flypurplehamster]

I would find it very difficult to just make up Sassanid-sounding names, and would get stuck after “Shawarma the Magnificent.” I imagine the programmers went on their equivalent of Wikipedia and wrote down all the names.

[Hobbes.]

I don't want names that I can use to make up imaginary rulers. I want actual people that existed and ruled over parts of the empire. If that is not possible I could settle for just the family names and I would just give them random personal ones.

[Gäiten]

You may differ between civilian (marzbans) and military governeurs (spahbeds).

I can tell you some military ones, who were in charge of the military of one of the Imperial quarters in the late 6th / early 7th century AD, after the reforms of Khosrow I.

East:
Chihr-Burzen (Karin Noble Clan)
Dad-Burz-Mihr (Karin Noble Clan)

South
Wahram Adurmah
Weh-Shabuhr
Pirag-i-Shahrwaraz (Mihran Noble Clan)

West
Wistakhm (Spandiyadh Noble Clan)

North
Gor-Gon (Mihran Noble Clan)
Sed-Hosh (Mihran Noble Clan)

(Source: Parvaneh Pourshariati: Decline and Fall of the Sassanian Empire)

As you can see most belonged to one of the Great Noble Clans.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

Theoretically, the king could appoint people to rule. Practically, the great clans controlled their respective zones of influence, which meant vast territories. The Mazdakite rebellion and the following reforms extended the king's rule somewhat, but Karen, Mehran and Suren were still very powerful. Bahram Chobin of the Mehran even succeeded in ousting the Sassan for a year, before Khosrau II returned with Maurice's army.

[Hobbes.]

Thanks for all the input. Could you tell me which clan influenced which area (with a source if possible)?

[Timoleon of Korinthos]

Regarding the administrative structure of the empire, which may have been affected by the reforms of the 6th century, Ammianus Marcellinus states that the Sassanid empire was divided in 18 provinces:

Now, there are in all Persia these greater provinces, ruled by vitaxae, or commanders of cavalry, by kings and by satraps -for to enumerate the great number of smaller districts would be difficult and superfluous - namely, Assyria, Susiana, Media, Persis, Parthia, Greater Carmania, Hyrcania, Margiana, Bactriani, Sogdiani, Sacae, Scythia infra Imaum, and beyond the same mountain, Serica, Aria, Prapomisadae, Drangiana, Arachosia and Gedrosia.
[Rerum Gestarum XXIII.6.14.]

In the following paragraphs he goes on to describe each of them in greater detail.
Some names of governors, generals and other grandees that feature in the Greco-Roman sources are:

From Aammianus Marcellinus
Jovinianus, satrap of Corduena (4rth century)
Adaces, satrap (4rth century)
Surena, arch-general (4rth century)
Murena, commander of cavalry (4rth century0
Nohodares, general (4rth century)
Bineses, governor of Nisibis (4rth century)

From Procopius
Gousanastades, governor of a province on the border with the Hephthalites (late 5th century)
Seoses 'adrastadaran salanes' -a title designating the one set in authority over all magistrates and over the whole army, an office custom made for him- (late 5th/early sixth century)
Adergoudounbades having the office of 'chanaranges' - high general (late 5th/early 6th century)
Mebodes, magister (early 6th century) *see below
Boeshaving the office of 'varizes' (early 6th century)
Pityaxes, Baresmanas and Perozes 'mirranes' at the battle of Daras, Mermeroes at the battle of Satala, Azarethes at battle of Callinicum, Anaibades at thesiege of Petra, Nabedes (middle 6th century)

From Theophylactos Simmocattes
Tamchoshro general (late 6th century)
'Kardarigan' title meaning "the black falcon", general (late 6th century)
'Mebodes' or 'Mahbodh', a title denoting high priest, satrap of Armenia like his father, Cihor-Wasnap, and general belonging to the Suren family (late 6th century)
Maruzas, general (late 6th century)
Aphraates, general (late 6h century)
Bahram, general from the house of Mirrames originating in Rhazakene and son of Bahram-Gusnasp (late 6th century)
Adormaanes, general (late 6th century)
Cubriadanes, governor of Nisibis and general (late 6th century)
'Pherochanes', magister and general (late 6th century)
Miragdun, Zamerdes, Zoanambes, Dalauzas, satraps (late 6th century)
Miradurin, general (late 6th century)

Faroukan, better known by his title 'Shahrvaraz' meaning "the wild boar of the empire", general (early 7nth century)
Shahin, general (early 7nth century)
Sharaplakan, general (early 7nth century)
Rhazad, general (early 7nth century)

[Hobbes.]

This will come in handy, indeed. Thanks Timoleon!

[Hobbes.]

Another question. Procopius mentions two Persian names, "Seoses" and "Glones". Does anyone happen to know what these names would be in Persian?