Sarhang (rank)

''Sarhang'' is a title and/or military rank of Iranian origin, a compound of ''sar'' ("head, chief") and ''hang'' ("an army division"). In modern usage in Iran, ''sarhang'' ( fa, سرهنگ) is the equivalent of colonel.

History

The origin of the title ''sarhang'' may date back at least to the Parthian period.
In the Sasanian period, it was a rank in the hierarchy of the '' aswaran'' cavalry force. In the medieval period, ''sarhang'' has been defined as "a heroic man, a brave fighter, a night-guard". According to Ibn al-Balkhi, the rank was immediately below '' spāhbadh''. In '' Tārikh-i Bukhārā'', the title is ranked below ''amīr''. In early Islamic period, the title appears together with ''ayyār'', and a related title, ''sarhang-shumārān'', seems to belong to the leaders of the hierarchy of ''ayyārān''. According to Bosworth, ''sarhang''s were separate from ''ayyar''s, and were probably fighters with outstanding leadership or fighting qualities that were recruited from the latter.

Historical figures recorded as bearing this title include:
* Jalinus of the late Sasanian Empire
* Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Tālūt (), serving the caliph Al-Musta'in
* Wazīr ibn Ayyūb (), serving the ''amīr'' of Khurasan
* Kharra Khusraw (), son of Badhan (per al-Tabari)
* Bu-Ali Kutwal (), a Ghaznavid officer in '' Tarikh-i Bayhaqi''

References

{{Reflist

Military ranks of Iran
Sasanian military offices
Persian words and phrases