Andarzbad

Andarzbad (from Middle Persian: "Andarz", "advice, counsel") was a Sasanian administrative office meaning "chief advisor", "chief councillor" or "chief of staff". The "andarzbads" were assigned to cities within the Sasanian Empire such as Ardashir-Khwarrah (i.e. Gor) or entire provinces, such as Sakastan. The main court "andarzbad", known as the "darandarzbad", served the Shahanshah ("King of Kings") directly and was one of the highest-ranking dignitaries within the Sasanian court. However, there were also "andarzbads" who served in other functions. There was the "andarzbad ī aswāragān", who instructed the Sasanian knights, or according to Anahit Perikhanian the "andarzbadī wāspuhragān", who exercised executive authority within the King's domain. The ""andarzbad" of the queens" (Middle Persian: "bʾnykn hndrcpt"; Parthian: "MLKTEn hndrzpty") dates back to the reign of Shapur I (240–170) and is attested in his inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht. The "mōgān-andarzbad" ("advisor of the magi") was a dignitary who effectively functioned as a legal consultant and held status as "one of the highest ranking dignitaries of the priestly class". M. L. Chaumont adds that the "mōgān-andarzbad" office "was quite different from that of the "mōbadān mōbad"". "Andarzgar" ("counselor", "teacher"), a less familiar Sasanian title, may have been modeled on "andarzbad" but this remains uncertain.