Shāpur the Victorious - Epic Iranian Music

Music & vocals by Farya Faraji. Please note that this isn't reconstructed music from the period, only modern Iranian music with an ancient theme.

The text sung here is a period one, inscribed on the so called Kaba of Zoroaster during the reign of Shāpur the First, second ruler of the Sasanian Empire. Though Shāpur himself was ethnically a Persian like the rest of the Sasanian dynasty, he was ruling at a time when the Arsacids, ethnically Parthian, had just ruled over Iran for over 400 years. Due to the still lingering prestige of the Parthian language as well as the political standing of the Parthian noble houses in the Empire, inscriptions were often written in both Persian and Parthian, and this is the case with this inscription.

Whilst the Persian version of the inscription is now damaged and illegible, the Parthian one is intact, and therefore the sung lyrics here are in the Parthian language; an interesting example of the multi-ethnic and multicultural reality of Ancient Iran. Keep in mind that there are virtually no guides on Parthian pronunciation available anywhere, so I simply projected modern phonetics unto the text; the same way Shakespeare is often read in a Modern English accent and not the period one Shakespeare himself would have used.

The music is written mostly in the style of modern orchestral and symphonic Iranian music of the 20th century. A santour as well as a historical war horn are also featured, as well as daf drums.

Lyrics in Parthian:
Ud kaδ naxwišt pad šahr awištād ahēm,
Gōrdanyos Kēsar až hamag Frōm,
Gōt ud Garmāniyā šahr zāwar hangāwišn kerd;
Ud ō Asūrestān abar Ērānšahr ud amā āγad,
Ud pad Asūrestān marz,
Pad Mišīk paddēmān wuzurg zambag būd.

Gōrdanyos Kēsar ōžad,
Frōmāyīn zāwar wānād, ud Frōmāyīn Filipos kēsar kerd.

Ud Filipos Kēsar amā ō nemastīg āγad,
Ud gyān goxn dēnār 500 hazār ō amā dād,
Pad bāž awestād, ud amā Mišik až ēd kerd
Pērōz-Šābuhr nām awestād,
Pērōz-Šābuhr,
Pērōz-Šābuhr!

Ud Kēsar bid druxt ō Armin winās kerd,
Ud amā abar Frōmāyīn šahr wihišt ahēm,
Ud Frōmāyīn zāwar 60,000 pad Bēbāliš ōžad.

Ud Asūriyā šahr, ud čē abar Asūriyā šahr parβēr būd, hamag ādurwaxt,
Awērān ud wardyāz kerd ud grift pad hōēw yāwar až,
Frōmāyīn šahr diz ud šahrestān.

English translation:
And when I first became established in the land, Gordian Caesar drew together an army from all the land of Rome, Gothia, and Germany; and to Asurestan he came against Iran and against me, and at the boundary of Asurestan at Mishik there was a great face-to-face battle.

Gordian Caesar was killed, and the army of the Romans was destroyed, and the Romans made Philip Caesar.

And Philip Caesar came to me for supplication, and for their souls gave 500,000 dinars in blood money to me, and he was established as a tributary. And because of this I gave Mishik the name Victorious is Shapur.

And Caesar lied again, [and] did harm to Armenia. And I moved against the land of the Romans, and an army of Romans 60,000 strong was killed at Bebalis.

And the land of Assyria, and the land which is around Assyria, was all burned, laid waste, and plundered; and there were taken on this one occasion from the land of the Romans these fortresses and cities.

[faryafaraji]

Music & vocals by Farya Faraji. Please note that this isn't reconstructed music from the period, only modern Iranian music with an ancient theme.

The text sung here is a period one, inscribed on the so called Kaba of Zoroaster during the reign of Shāpur the First, second ruler of the Sasanian Empire. Though Shāpur himself was ethnically a Persian like the rest of the Sasanian dynasty, he was ruling at a time when the Arsacids, ethnically Parthian, had just ruled over Iran for over 400 years. Due to the still lingering prestige of the Parthian language as well as the political standing of the Parthian noble houses in the Empire, inscriptions were often written in both Persian and Parthian, and this is the case with this inscription.

Whilst the Persian version of the inscription is now damaged and illegible, the Parthian one is intact, and therefore the sung lyrics here are in the Parthian language; an interesting example of the multi-ethnic and multicultural reality of Ancient Iran. Keep in mind that there are virtually no guides on Parthian pronunciation available anywhere, so I simply projected modern phonetics unto the text; the same way Shakespeare is often read in a Modern English accent and not the period one Shakespeare himself would have used.

The music is written mostly in the style of modern orchestral and symphonic Iranian music of the 20th century. A santour as well as a historical war horn are also featured, as well as daf drums.

Lyrics in Parthian:
Ud kaδ naxwišt pad šahr awištād ahēm,
Gōrdanyos Kēsar až hamag Frōm,
Gōt ud Garmāniyā šahr zāwar hangāwišn kerd;
Ud ō Asūrestān abar Ērānšahr ud amā āγad,
Ud pad Asūrestān marz,
Pad Mišīk paddēmān wuzurg zambag būd.

Gōrdanyos Kēsar ōžad,
Frōmāyīn zāwar wānād, ud Frōmāyīn Filipos kēsar kerd.

Ud Filipos Kēsar amā ō nemastīg āγad,
Ud gyān goxn dēnār 500 hazār ō amā dād,
Pad bāž awestād, ud amā Mišik až ēd kerd
Pērōz-Šābuhr nām awestād,
Pērōz-Šābuhr,
Pērōz-Šābuhr!

Ud Kēsar bid druxt ō Armin winās kerd,
Ud amā abar Frōmāyīn šahr wihišt ahēm,
Ud Frōmāyīn zāwar 60, 000 pad Bēbāliš ōžad.

Ud Asūriyā šahr, ud čē abar Asūriyā šahr parβēr būd, hamag ādurwaxt,
Awērān ud wardyāz kerd ud grift pad hōēw yāwar až,
Frōmāyīn šahr diz ud šahrestān.

Modern Persian translation:
زمانی که به پادشاهی رسیدم سزار گُردی بر علیه ايران و بر علیه من ارتشی را از سرزمین رُم، گُتیا و گِرمانیا به سرزمین ّاسورستان آورد و در مرز اسورستان در استان میشیک جنگی بزرگ در گرفت.

سزار گُردی کشته و ارتش رمی یان از بین برده شد و رمی ها فیلیپ را سزار کردند.

فیلیپ سزار رُم به نزد من آمد و التماس کرد و در ازای تضمین زنده ماندنشان پانصد هزار دینار پیشکش آورد و به این خاطر نامم را پیروز شاهپور برگزیدند.

سزار دوباره دروغ گفت و به ارمنستان حمله کرد و من هم به سرزمین رُم حمله کردم و در بِبالیس شصت هزار رُمی کشته شدند.

و سرزمین اسورستان از بین برده شد و بسیارشهرها و قلعه ها را از رُمی ها به تصرف در آوردم

English translation:
And when I first became established in the land, Gordian Caesar drew together an army from all the land of Rome, Gothia, and Germany; and to Asurestan he came against Iran and against me, and at the boundary of Asurestan at Mishik there was a great face-to-face battle.

Gordian Caesar was killed, and the army of the Romans was destroyed, and the Romans made Philip Caesar.

And Philip Caesar came to me for supplication, and for their souls gave 500, 000 dinars in blood money to me, and he was established as a tributary. And because of this I gave Mishik the name Victorious is Shapur.

And Caesar lied again, [and] did harm to Armenia. And I moved against the land of the Romans, and an army of Romans 60, 000 strong was killed at Bebalis.

And the land of Assyria, and the land which is around Assyria, was all burned, laid waste, and plundered; and there were taken on this one occasion from the land of the Romans these fortresses and cities.

[fabiancolumbus]

You know its a great day when Farya uploads Iranian music

[amirmohamadsamavat]

Shahpur shāhanshāh, King of Iran and glory of Sassanid empire who defeated three Roman emperors👑⚔️

[Shahanshah.Shahin]

Wow! The Shāhanshāh is back, this time with a Roman emperor as a captive.

[mohammadmahdijalaeipour]

It's always so cool to learn what labels and names ancient people used for other tribes like "Garmāniya" and "Gōt".

[kisuren]

It's truly remarkable that even though the script was written in classical Pahlaw language (Parthian), it was quite intelligible to me as a Persian speaker Tajik with a Mazari (Balkhi accent). While it may not be possible to translate it word for word, I could understand the meaning of each sentence to a significant extent just by listening, even without the English translation. This experience was incredibly emotionally fulfilling. In my opinion, the Sasanians feel like the Kayanians reborn, and I hold them in higher regard than the Achaemenids and Arsacids. This is your best Iranian work so far. Dear Farya, thank you for your existence and for sharing your Yazataic melodies with us.

Additionally, I'd like to mention that I was in an AI art generation program, attempting to create captivating artwork for my short story. When I aimed to generate art for Warahran, the archangel of courage, bravery, and chivalry in Iranian folklore, the resulting image bore a striking resemblance to you.

[dfv]

This song fills me with the strange desire to spend centuries fighting the Romans over Armenia.

[Shahanshah.Shahin]

*_Lyrics in Parthian language with English translation:-_*

*Ud kaδ naxwišt pad šahr awištād ahēm, *
_(And when I first became established in the land, )_

*Gōrdanyos Kēsar až hamag Frōm, *
_(Gordian Caesar drew together an army)_

*Gōt ud Garmāniyā šahr zāwar hangāwišn kerd;*
_(from all the land of Rome, Gothia, and Germany;)_

*Ud ō Asūrestān abar Ērānšahr ud amā āγad, *
_(and to Asurestan he came against Iran and against me, )_

*Ud pad Asūrestān marz, *
_(and at the boundary of Asurestan)_

*Pad Mišīk paddēmān wuzurg zambag būd.*
_(at Mishik there was a great face-to-face battle.)_

*Gōrdanyos Kēsar ōžad, *
_(Gordian Caesar was killed, )_

*Frōmāyīn zāwar wānād, ud Frōmāyīn Filipos kēsar kerd.*
_(and the army of the Romans was destroyed, and the Romans made Philip Caesar.)_

*Ud Filipos Kēsar amā ō nemastīg āγad, *
_(And Philip Caesar came to me for supplication, )_

*Ud gyān goxn dēnār panj sad hazār ō amā dād, *
_(and for their souls gave 500, 000 dinars in blood money to me, )_

*Pad bāž awestād, ud amā Mišik až ēd kerd*
_(and he was established as a tributary. And because of this I gave Mishik)_

*Pērōz-Šābuhr nām awestād, *
_(The name Victorious is Shapur.)_

*Pērōz-Šābuhr, *
_(Victorious Shapur, )_

*Pērōz-Šābuhr!*
_(Victorious Shapur!)_

*Ud Kēsar bid druxt ō Armin winās kerd, *
_(And Caesar lied again, [and] did harm to Armenia.)_

*Ud amā abar Frōmāyīn šahr wihišt ahēm, *
_(And I moved against the land of the Romans, )_

*Ud Frōmāyīn zāwar, šast hazār pad Bēbāliš ōžad.*
_(and an army of Romans 60, 000 strong was killed at Bebalis.)_

*Ud Asūriyā šahr, ud čē abar Asūriyā šahr parβēr būd, hamag ādurwaxt, *
_(And the land of Assyria, and the land which is around Assyria, was laid wast, all burned, and plundered;)_

*Awērān ud wardyāz kerd ud grift pad hōēw yāwar až, *
_(and there were taken on this one occasion)_

*Frōmāyīn šahr diz ud šahrestān.*
_(from the land of the Romans these fortresses and cities.)_



*_(Modern Persian transliteration)_* :-

_"Zamani ke be padshahi residam, Cezar gurdi bar 'aliye Iran va bar 'aliye man arteshi ra az sarzamin-e Rum, Gutya va Ghermania be sarzamin-e Asuristan avard va dar marz-e Asuristan dar ostan-e Mishik jangi bozorg dar gereft._

_Cezar gurdi koshte va artesh-e Romiyan az bin shode shod va Romiha Filipp ra Cezar kardand._

_Filipp Cezar-e Rum be nazd-e man amad va eltemas kard va dar azai tazmin-e zendemandaneshan pansad hezar dinar pishkosh avard va be in khater namam ra Pirouz Shahpour bargozar kardand._

_Cezar dobare daroogh goft va be Armanestan hamleh kard, va man ham be sarzamin-e Rum hamleh kardam va dar Bibalis shast hezar Romi koshthe shodand._

_Va sarzamin-e Asuristan az bin borde shod va besiar shahrha va qaleha ra az Romiha be tasarruf dar avardam."_

[mehwhatever]

Wish you were hired to make music for movie or videogame set in HISTORICALLY ACCURATE ancient middle-east.

[McVaySwifty]

This is the most pleasant Parthian rendition I've yet heard, nice work

[paulocidreiras]

Farya Faraji simply put colours in my day. I am an addict of his work. I listen to at my job everyday. I cannot explain how awesome I think about it. Thank you, Farya! Greetings from Brazil.

[Daedalus_]

The fact that the 1800-year-old Parthian word for "when" - "kaδ" is cognate with my modern Serbian "kad" really makes me happy for some reason lol. Obviously being 1800 years and a linguistic branch apart, you can nonetheless still find this glimmer of the Indo-European connection and it makes the song seem closer. Just like Parthian/Persian "ud" and English "and."

[artinrahideh]

You just feel that royal glory in every fiber of your being.

[joycehawie]

The artist is thoughtful to give English subtitles to the songs so the audience can understand the song lyrics. Thank you our thoughtful musician. Love the music 😍

[tomillo]

Good work, Farya! I have started to learn Persian thanks to your songs! Long live Iran and may greatness return to it soon!

Sincerely,
A humble Murcian

[jeremeyrichardson]

Thank you as always Farya.
Your ability to transport me to far away places and far away times is second to none.
I am currently reading about the Crisis of the Third Century for the Roman Empire. Sharpur plays a large part in the East.
This is icing on the cake.
I can listen to your music and BAM!, I am right there.
Just keep doing what you are doing.
1000% Amazing!!

[santaclaus]

Farya, you have the souls of Shapur, King Vahram and so many of the ancients speaking through you! And through your voice and music, you take us to a journey where we can travel to times long gone by and feel the presence of the ancients in the depths of our hearts and souls. I cannot thank you enough. Bless you.

[ArsenAl-zorK]

I love it brilliant. Really cool to see the lyrics in Parthian as well, thank you for sharing Farya!

[sal]

"Gōrdanyos Kēsar ōžad,
Frōmāyīn zāwar wānād"
that line goes SO fucking hard, both the beautiful sound of the Parthian language (like all iranian languages), the way you pronounced and sung it, and the kickass meaning, fucking awesome!

[laosbazinga]

Your Iranian works in particular always sound so majestic, I’m a huge fan. Fantastic as always!