Afrasiab

In Iranian legend, Afrasiab (Persian: افراسياب afrāsiyāb; Middle Persian: Frāsiyāv, Frāsiyāk), also known as Fraŋrasyan, is the mythical king and hero of Turan. He is the main antagonist of the Persian epic Shahnameh, written by Ferdowsi.

Afrasiyab
Painting of Afrasiab in the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp
In-universe information
Nationality	Turanian

This article is about an Iranian mythical hero. For the village in Iran, see Afrasiab, Iran. For the ancient site of northern Samarkand, see Afrasiyab (Samarkand). For other uses, see Afrasiyab.

Name and origin

The oldest attested form of the name is the Avestan Fraŋrasyan, which Émile Benveniste derived from *fra-hrasya- 'to make disappear, to fell, to destroy'. This etymology is connected with a myth in which Afrasiab holds back rain. The Persian form of the name is derived from a version of the name which ends in āb 'water' (*Frahrasyāpa- > *Frārasyāp > Frāsīāb).^[1]

In the Avesta

The oldest mention of Afrasiab is found in the Avesta, where he is called Fraŋrasyan.^[1] Although the Avesta does not present his story in a single coherent narrative, it is alluded to numerous times in the so called Legendary Yashts.^[2] In these hymns, he is already presented as the King of the Turanians and archenemy of the Iranians. His common epithet mairya- (deceitful, villainous) can be interpreted as meaning an evil man. He lived in a subterranean fortress made of metal, called Hanakana.^[3]

According to the Aban Yasht, he sacrificed to Anahita to obtain the royal glory of the Kayanians. According to the Gosh Yasht and Zamyad Yasht, however, Anahita instead granted Kavi Haosravah his wish to slay him. This is achieved with the help of Haoma, who overcomes and delivers him to Kavi Haosravah. He is slain near the Čīčhast (possibly either referring to Lake Hamun in Sistan or some unknown lake in today's Central Asia).^[4]

In later sources

According to Islamic sources, Afrasiab was a descendant of Tūr (Avestan: Tūriya-), one of the three sons of the Iranian mythical King Fereydun (the other two sons being Salm and Iraj). In the Bundahishn, he is named as the seventh grandson of Tūr.

In the Shahnameh

Scene from the Shahnameh. Afrasiab (standing figure) executes Nauzar (lying down)

According to the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) by the Persian epic poet Ferdowsi, Afrasiab was the king and hero of Turan and an archenemy of Iran. He is the most prominent of all Turanian kings in Iranian mythology. He is a great warrior, an able commander, and an agent of Ahriman. He possesses supernatural powers and is intent on destroying the Iranian lands.^[1] He is brother to Garsivaz, and the son of Pashang. He was an enemy of Rostam and Kay Khosrow, and was defeated by them. According to the Shahnameh, he met his death in a cave known as the Hang-e Afrasiab, or the dying place of Afrasiab, on a mountaintop in Azerbaijan. The fugitive Afrasiab, having been repeatedly defeated by the armies of his adversary, the mythical King of Iran Kay Khosrow (who happened to be his own grandson, through his daughter Farangis), wandered wretchedly and fearfully around, and eventually took refuge in this cave and died.

Hypotheses

Ernst Hertzfeld believed that the name Parsondes is etymologically identical to the name Afrasiab.^[5][6][7][8] Tabari in his works mentions the derivative Afrasiab / Aspandiat under the name of the Hephthalite king Akhshunvar or Akhshunvaz.^[9]

See also

• Afrasiyab (Samarkand)
• Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand
• Alp Er Tunga