Parasang
Encyclopedia
The parasang is a historical Iranian
unit of itinerant distance comparable to the European league
.
In antiquity, the term was used throughout much of the Middle East
, and the Old Iranian language
from which it derives can no longer be determined (only two—of what must have been dozens—of Old Iranian languages are attested). There is no consensus with respect to its etymology or literal meaning. In addition to its appearance in various forms in later Iranian languages (e.g. Middle Persian
farsang or Sogdian
fasukh), the term also appears in Greek
as Παρασάγγης parasanges, in Latin as parasanga, in Armenian
as hrasakh, in Georgian
as parsakhi, in Syriac as prsha, in Arabic as farsakh (فرسخ) and in Turkish
fersah
. The present-day New Persian word is also farsakh, and should not be confused with the present-day farsang (فرسنگ), which is now a metric unit of 10 km.
The parasang may have originally been some fraction of the distance an infantryman could march in some predefined period of time. Herodotus (v.53) speaks of [an army] traveling the equivalent of five parasangs per day.
The earliest surviving mention of the parasang comes from the mid-5th century BCE Herodotus
(Histories ii.6, v.53), who defines the measure to be equivalent to 30 stadia. This comparison is also made by several later Greek and Roman writers (10th c. Suidas and Hesychius
, 5th/4th c. BCE Xenophon
Anab. ii.2.6). The 6th century Agathias
(ii.21) however—while referring to Herodotus and Xenophon—note that in his time the Pérsai
considered the parasang to have only 21 stadia. Strabo (xi) also notes that some writers considered it to be 60, others 40, and yet others 30. In his 1st century Parthian stations, Isidore of Charax
"evidently [used for
schoenus
] the same measure as the Arabic parasang (while in Persia proper 4 sch[onii] equal 3 par[asang])."
The 1st century Pliny
(Natural History vi.26) noted that the Iranians themselves assigned different lengths to it. On the authority of older sources, the 14th century Qazvin
ian historiographer Hamdullah Mostofi records that in the 10th century the north-eastern parasang was 15,000 paces, the north-western one was 18,000 paces, and the one of the south-west was merely 6,000 paces (but the "true" parasang, so Mostofi, was 9,000 paces). Recalling local legend, Mostofi states the unit was defined by the mythological Kai Kobad
to be equal to 12,000 cubit
s.
Following the 30-stadia definition of Herodotus and Xenophon, the Greek version of the parasang would be equal to either 5.7 km (Olympic measure) or 5.3 km (Attic measure). But in 1920, Kenneth Mason of the Royal Geographical Society
adduced that the parasang used in Xenophon's Babylonian travel accounts was equal to only 2.4 miles (3.9 km). More recently, "[empirical tests] reckoning ten stades to the English mile
(1.609 km), and three miles to the parasang (4.827 km) have given excellent results in practice. Whatever the basis of calculation, theoretical values for the stade and the parasang must be sought which do not greatly exceed [those] estimates."
The parasang also finds use in the Babylonian Talmud, in several uses, one being the calculation of the width of Jacob's Ladder
as 8,000 parasangs.
Iranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
unit of itinerant distance comparable to the European league
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
.
In antiquity, the term was used throughout much of the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and the Old Iranian language
Iranian languages
The Iranian languages form a subfamily of the Indo-Iranian languages which in turn is a subgroup of Indo-European language family. They have been and are spoken by Iranian peoples....
from which it derives can no longer be determined (only two—of what must have been dozens—of Old Iranian languages are attested). There is no consensus with respect to its etymology or literal meaning. In addition to its appearance in various forms in later Iranian languages (e.g. Middle Persian
Middle Persian
Middle Persian , indigenously known as "Pârsig" sometimes referred to as Pahlavi or Pehlevi, is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as a...
farsang or Sogdian
Sogdian language
The Sogdian language is a Middle Iranian language that was spoken in Sogdiana , located in modern day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan ....
fasukh), the term also appears in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
as Παρασάγγης parasanges, in Latin as parasanga, in Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
as hrasakh, in Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
as parsakhi, in Syriac as prsha, in Arabic as farsakh (فرسخ) and in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
fersah
Traditional Turkish units of measurement
The list of traditional Turkish units of measurement, aka Ottoman units of measurement, is given below.- History :The Ottoman Empire , the predecessor of modern Turkey was one of the 17 signatories of the Metre Convention in 1875...
. The present-day New Persian word is also farsakh, and should not be confused with the present-day farsang (فرسنگ), which is now a metric unit of 10 km.
The parasang may have originally been some fraction of the distance an infantryman could march in some predefined period of time. Herodotus (v.53) speaks of [an army] traveling the equivalent of five parasangs per day.
The earliest surviving mention of the parasang comes from the mid-5th century BCE Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
(Histories ii.6, v.53), who defines the measure to be equivalent to 30 stadia. This comparison is also made by several later Greek and Roman writers (10th c. Suidas and Hesychius
Hesychius of Alexandria
Hesychius of Alexandria , a grammarian who flourished probably in the 5th century CE, compiled the richest lexicon of unusual and obscure Greek words that has survived...
, 5th/4th c. BCE Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
Anab. ii.2.6). The 6th century Agathias
Agathias
Agathias or Agathias Scholasticus , of Myrina , an Aeolian city in western Asia Minor , was a Greek poet and the principal historian of part of the reign of the Roman emperor Justinian I between 552 and 558....
(ii.21) however—while referring to Herodotus and Xenophon—note that in his time the Pérsai
Iranian peoples
The Iranian peoples are an Indo-European ethnic-linguistic group, consisting of the speakers of Iranian languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, as such forming a branch of Indo-European-speaking peoples...
considered the parasang to have only 21 stadia. Strabo (xi) also notes that some writers considered it to be 60, others 40, and yet others 30. In his 1st century Parthian stations, Isidore of Charax
Isidore of Charax
Isidorus Characenus , commonly translated Isidore of Charax, was a geographer of the 1st century BC/1st century AD about whom nothing is known but his name and that he wrote at least one work....
"evidently [used for
schoenus
Schoenus
A schoenus or schoinos is a historical unit of itinerant distance once common throughout the Mediterranean.The Greeks, who adopted it from the Egyptians, considered the schoinos equal to 40 stades. But neither the schoinos nor the stadion had an absolute value, and there were several regional...
The 1st century Pliny
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
(Natural History vi.26) noted that the Iranians themselves assigned different lengths to it. On the authority of older sources, the 14th century Qazvin
Qazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
ian historiographer Hamdullah Mostofi records that in the 10th century the north-eastern parasang was 15,000 paces, the north-western one was 18,000 paces, and the one of the south-west was merely 6,000 paces (but the "true" parasang, so Mostofi, was 9,000 paces). Recalling local legend, Mostofi states the unit was defined by the mythological Kai Kobad
Kai Kobad
Kai Kobad is a mythological figure of Iranian folklore and oral tradition. The 'Kai' stock epithet identifies Kobad as a Kayanian, a mythological dynasty that in tradition Kai Kobad was also the founder of....
to be equal to 12,000 cubit
Cubit
The cubit is a traditional unit of length, based on the length of the forearm. Cubits of various lengths were employed in many parts of the world in Antiquity, in the Middle Ages and into Early Modern Times....
s.
Following the 30-stadia definition of Herodotus and Xenophon, the Greek version of the parasang would be equal to either 5.7 km (Olympic measure) or 5.3 km (Attic measure). But in 1920, Kenneth Mason of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
adduced that the parasang used in Xenophon's Babylonian travel accounts was equal to only 2.4 miles (3.9 km). More recently, "[empirical tests] reckoning ten stades to the English mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
(1.609 km), and three miles to the parasang (4.827 km) have given excellent results in practice. Whatever the basis of calculation, theoretical values for the stade and the parasang must be sought which do not greatly exceed [those] estimates."
The parasang also finds use in the Babylonian Talmud, in several uses, one being the calculation of the width of Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder is a "ladder to heaven", described by biblical Jacob in the Book of GenesisJacob's Ladder may also refer to:* Ladder of Jacob, a pseudepigraphic text of the Old Testament...
as 8,000 parasangs.