Letter of Tansar
Encyclopedia
The Letter of Tansar was a 6th century Sassanid propaganda instrument that portrays the preceding Arsacid period as morally corrupt and heretical (to Zoroastrianism
), and presents the first Sassanid dynast Ardashir I
as having "restored" the faith to a "firm foundation." The letter is simultaneously a declaration of the unity of Zoroastrian church and Iranian state, "for church and state were born of the one womb, joined together and never to be sundered."
The document seems to have been based on a genuine 3rd century letter written by Tansar, the Zoroastrian high priest under Ardashir I, to King Gushnasp of Parishwar/Tabaristan, another vassal king of the Arsacid Ardavan IV
, whom Ardashir had overthrown. Tansar appears to have been responding to charges leveled at Ardashir, and the delay to accept Ardashir's suzerainty. Representative of those charges is the accusation that Ardashir "had taken away fires from the fire-temples, extinguished them and blotted them out." To this, Tansar replies that it was the "kings of the peoples [i.e. Parthians' vassal kings]" that began the practice of dynastic fires, an "innovation" unauthorized by the kings of old. A similar response appears in Book IV of the 9th century Denkard
.
The letter was revised in the 6th century, during the reign of Khusrow I Anoshiravan
. The legend that the Arsacid Parthians had allowed Zoroastrianism to fall into neglect stems from the same period. The letter was translated into Arabic
in the 9th century by Ibn al-Muqaffa
, and from Arabic into New Persian in the 13th century when Ibn Isfandiar, an Iranian Muslim, put it in his History of Tabaristan (a mountainous region in northern Iran
). The Ibn Isfandiar version, which dates to 1210-1216, is the only one that survives.
The importance of the Letter of Tansar was first perceived by James Darmesteter, who published the first critical translation of it in 1894.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
), and presents the first Sassanid dynast Ardashir I
Ardashir I
Ardashir I was the founder of the Sassanid Empire, was ruler of Istakhr , subsequently Fars Province , and finally "King of Kings of Sassanid Empire " with the overthrow of the Parthian Empire...
as having "restored" the faith to a "firm foundation." The letter is simultaneously a declaration of the unity of Zoroastrian church and Iranian state, "for church and state were born of the one womb, joined together and never to be sundered."
The document seems to have been based on a genuine 3rd century letter written by Tansar, the Zoroastrian high priest under Ardashir I, to King Gushnasp of Parishwar/Tabaristan, another vassal king of the Arsacid Ardavan IV
Artabanus IV of Parthia
Artabanus IV of Parthia ruled the Parthian Empire . He was the younger son of Vologases V who died in 208. Artabanus rebelled against his brother Vologases VI, and soon gained the upper hand, although Vologases VI maintained himself in a part of Babylonia until about 228.The Roman emperor...
, whom Ardashir had overthrown. Tansar appears to have been responding to charges leveled at Ardashir, and the delay to accept Ardashir's suzerainty. Representative of those charges is the accusation that Ardashir "had taken away fires from the fire-temples, extinguished them and blotted them out." To this, Tansar replies that it was the "kings of the peoples [i.e. Parthians' vassal kings]" that began the practice of dynastic fires, an "innovation" unauthorized by the kings of old. A similar response appears in Book IV of the 9th century Denkard
Denkard
The Dēnkard or Dēnkart is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs. The Denkard is to a great extent an "Encyclopedia of Mazdaism" and is a most valuable source of information on the religion...
.
The letter was revised in the 6th century, during the reign of Khusrow I Anoshiravan
Khosrau I
Khosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
. The legend that the Arsacid Parthians had allowed Zoroastrianism to fall into neglect stems from the same period. The letter was translated into Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
in the 9th century by Ibn al-Muqaffa
Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa
Abū-Muhammad Abd-Allāh Rūzbeh ibn Dādūya/Dādōē , known as Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ , Ibn Muqaffa/Ebn-e Moghaffa , or Rūzbeh pūr-e Dādūya , was a Persian thinker and a Zoroastrian convert to Islam.-Biography:...
, and from Arabic into New Persian in the 13th century when Ibn Isfandiar, an Iranian Muslim, put it in his History of Tabaristan (a mountainous region in northern Iran
Greater Iran
Greater Iran refers to the regions that have significant Iranian cultural influence. It roughly corresponds to the territory on the Iranian plateau and its bordering plains, stretching from Iraq, the Caucasus, and Turkey in the west to the Indus River in the east...
). The Ibn Isfandiar version, which dates to 1210-1216, is the only one that survives.
The importance of the Letter of Tansar was first perceived by James Darmesteter, who published the first critical translation of it in 1894.