| Pushtigban | |
|---|---|
| Active | 224-644 |
| Allegiance |  Sasanian Empire |
| Type | Heavy cavalry |
| Size | 1,000 |
| Headquarters | Ctesiphon |
| Engagements | Battle of Samarra,Battle of Callinicum, unnamed others |
| Military of the Sasanian Empire |
|---|
 |
| Armed forces and units |
| Ranks |
| Defense lines |
| Conflicts |
Thepushtigban was an elite military unit of theSasanian Empire, charged with the protection of thePersian Emperor.
They were stationed during peacetime in the royal capital ofCtesiphon and were drawn from the best of the ranks of the SasanianSavārān cavalry. They numbered 1000 men, under the command of thepushtigban-salar ; in battle they fought mostly ascataphracts, heavily armed and armoured horsemen who would charge enemy positions with tremendous momentum.
There are allusions to the participation of this unit in sources describing theShapur II's Arab campaign andSiege of Amida (359).[1]
A sub-unit ofpushtigban were thegyan-avspar, the "sacrificers of their lives" - the best of thepushtigban. Thepushtigban fought with distinction and zeal befitting their name duringJulian's invasion of Persia in the 4th century AD.
Thepushtigban disappeared with theMuslim conquest of Persia, that led to theFall of the Sasanian Empire.
 | This article related to theIranian armed forces is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |