The Mafia-themed game on IRIB evokes, for Pan-Iranist progressives, the distortion of the concept of citizenship—from its refined expression in the civilized Sassanian society to what was later reduced to mafia-like structures under Arab rule, and even more aggressively under Mongolian and Turkic governance systems for nearly a millennium.
Pan-Iranist progressive seizes every opportunity to craft informed theories aimed at educating the younger generations of Iranians.
Sassanian Society: A Four-Tiered Civilized Order
The Sassanian Empire (224–651 CE) represented the zenith of pre-Islamic Persian civilization. It was a highly structured society rooted in Zoroastrian values, imperial centralization, and a sophisticated bureaucratic system. The empire was divided into four social classes, each with distinct roles and responsibilities:
Priestly Class (Azadan and Magi): Zoroastrian clergy held immense influence, overseeing religious rites, education, and moral governance. They were the custodians of law and tradition, often advising the king and shaping imperial ideology.
Warrior Aristocracy (Spahbod and Nobility): Military elites and noble families formed the backbone of the empire’s defense and expansion. They were granted land and privileges in exchange for loyalty and service, often functioning as regional governors or feudal lords.
Scribes and Bureaucrats (Dabirs): This class managed the empire’s vast administrative machinery. They recorded laws, managed taxation, and maintained communication across provinces. Their literacy and training made them indispensable to imperial cohesion.
Commoners and Artisans (Vast People): Farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and laborers sustained the economy. Though lower in status, they were protected by law and had access to communal resources, often organized into guilds and local councils.
This stratified yet integrated system fostered civic identity, legal protection, and a sense of belonging. Citizenship in the Sassanian context implied duties to the empire, rights under Zoroastrian law, and participation in a shared cultural legacy.
Arab Conquest and the Erosion of Civic Order
Following the fall of the Sassanian Empire in 651 CE to the Rashidun Caliphate, the Persian social fabric underwent a radical transformation. The Arab rulers imposed a new religious and political order centered around Islamic law and tribal governance. Key changes included:
Dismantling of Zoroastrian Institutions: Temples were destroyed or repurposed, and the priestly class was marginalized. Religious pluralism gave way to a rigid monotheism with limited tolerance.
Tribal Patronage over Bureaucracy: Arab elites favored kinship and tribal loyalty over meritocratic administration. Persian scribes were retained but subordinated to Arab governors, often leading to corruption and favoritism.
Jizya and Social Stratification: Non-Muslims were taxed heavily and excluded from political power. The concept of citizenship was replaced by religious identity, with Muslims enjoying privileges over dhimmis (protected non-Muslims).
This shift marked the beginning of a more fragmented and informal power structure, where tribal allegiances and personal networks often superseded institutional governance.
Mongol and Turkic Rule: The Rise of Feudal Mafias
From the 11th to the 19th century, successive waves of Turkic and Mongol invasions further eroded centralized governance. The Mongol conquest in the 13th century devastated Persian cities and institutions. Under their rule and later Turkic dynasties (e.g., Seljuks, Timurids, Safavids), society became increasingly militarized and feudal:
Decentralized Power and Warlordism: Local rulers (khans, beys, emirs) operated as autonomous despots, extracting tribute and enforcing rule through private militias. Governance resembled protection rackets more than civic administration.
Suppression of Intellectual and Civic Life: Libraries, schools, and cultural centers were destroyed or tightly controlled. The bureaucratic class was reduced to servitude or co-opted into dynastic courts.
Militarized Patronage Networks: Loyalty was bought through land grants and military appointments. Justice was arbitrary, often dispensed through intimidation or bribery.
This era saw the near-total collapse of the Sassanian civic ideal. The Persian citizen became a subject of competing mafias—tribal, dynastic, or religious—rather than a participant in a shared national project.
Conclusion: From Civic Order to Survivalism
The Sassanian model of layered, lawful, and culturally integrated society was gradually replaced by systems of domination rooted in tribalism, militarism, and personal power. What began as a civilization of citizens ended as a landscape of subjects navigating fractured loyalties and coercive rule. The memory of Ērānšahr faded into myth, while the reality of governance became a struggle for survival under successive mafias of empire.