The Bundahišn (long recension), in the chapter describing the mountains, refers to books on lands (āyādgārīhā ī šahrīhā). It is said that, during the onslaught by the Tāzīg (Arabs & Muslims) in the eastern quarter of Ērānšahr, Xvarāsān, they took Šāhfrih, the daughter of Pērōz ī Yazdegirdān, into captivity; there were, among the spoils, in her baggage, one of those memoirs of the lands composed for the Persian king Kavād. Zādānfarrox, the famous Persian chief scribe, translated it into Arabic. This translation was the main source of the second part of the geography book of Muqaddasī –Ibn Faqīh also quoted some passages of it.
It seems that the short Pārsīg text šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr (ŠĒŠ) has as its source one of those books – just as the list of cities given by Ibn Xurdāδbeh and Աշխարհ Պարսից ‘the Persian land’ in the Geography of Ananias of Širak. The ŠĒŠ purports to give a catalogue of the cities of the Aryan land (Persia), and the names of their founders. This catalogue is based on the quadripartite division of the Aryan kingdom in the Sasanian period.
pārsīg
ped nām ud nērōg ud ayyārīh ī dādār Ohrmazd
jadag ī nēk!
(1) šahrestānīhā ī andar zamīg ī Ērānšahr kird ēsted, jud jud ēn kū kadām sarxvadāy kird, ped gugān, abar ēn āyādgār nibišt ēsted.
ped kust ī Xvarāsān
(2) ped kust ī Xvarāsān, Samargand šahrestān Kayus ī Kavādān bun fragand, Syāvaš ī Kayusān bē frazāmēnīd.
(3) Kayhōsrō ī Syāvašān ānōh zād, u-š varzāvand ātaš vahrām ānōh nišāst.
(4) pas Zardušt dēn āvurd. az framān ī Vištāsp šāh hazār-u-dvēst fragard ped dēndibīrīh ped taxtagīhā zarrēn kand ud nibišt ud ped ganz ī hān ātaš nihād.
(5) ud pas guzastag Sukander suxt, ud andar ō drayāb abgand.
Sugud ī haft-āšyān:
(6) u-š haft-āšyānīh ēd kū haft xvadāy āšyān andar būd: ēk hān ī Jim, ud ēk Azi-Dahāk, ud ēk hān ī Frēdōn, ud ēk hān ī Manušcihr, ud ēk hān ī Kayus, ud ēk hān ī Kayhusrō, ud ēk hān ī Luhrāsp, ud ēk hān ī Vištāsp šāh.
(7) pas guzastag Frāsyāg ī tūr harv ēk nišēmag ī šāhān uzdēszār bašn pediš kird.
(8) andar Baxl ī bāmīg šahrestān ī Navāzag, Spendyād ī Vištāspān kird.
(9) u-š varzāvand ātaš vahrām ānōh nišāst. u-š nēzag ī xvēš ānōh bē zad. u-š ō Jabbū xāgān, ud Sinzibīg xāgān, ud Cōl xāgān, ud vazurg kān, ud Gōhram ud Tuzāb ud Arzāsp ī xiyōnān šāh peygām frēstīd kū:
«nēzag ī man bē nigered! harv kē ped vēzišn ī ēn nēzag nigerēd cē andar ō Ērānšhar dvāred.»
(10) šahrestān ī Xvārazm, Nerīsah ī Jehūdagān kird.
(11) šahrestān ī Marvrōd, Vahrām ī Yazdegirdān kird.
(12) šahrestān ī Marv ud šahrestān ī Harē, guzastag Sukander ī hrōmāyīg kird.
(13) šahrestān ī Pōšang, Šābuhr ī Ardašērān kird; u-š ped Pōšang puhl ī vazvar kird.
(14) šahrestān ī Tōs, Tus ī Nōdarān kird ī nōsad sāl spāhbed būd. pas az Tus spāhbedīh ō Zerīr, ud az Zerīr ō Bastvar (/Bastōr), ud az Bastvar ō Karazm mad.
(15) šahrestān ī Nēvšābuhr, Šābuhr ī Ardašērān kird ped hān gāh ka-š pʾlyck (Pāragzag??) ī tūr ōzad, u-š ped hamgyāg šahrestān framūd kirdan.
(16) šahrestān ī Kāyin, Kay Luhrāsp ī Vištāsp pid kird.
(17) andar Gurgān šahrestān ī Dehestān xvānend, Nerīsah ī Aškānān kird.
(18a) šahrestān ī Kōmiš panzbārag Azi-Dahāk ped tan šabestān kird. mānišn ī pahlavīgān ānōh būd.
(18b) ped xvadāyīh ī Yazdegird ī Šābuhrān kird andar taz ī Cōl Virōypahr hān ālag rāy.
(19) šahrestān panz Husrav ī Kavādān:
Husravšād, Husravmustābād, Vispšādhusrav, Hubōyhusrav, Šādfarroxhusrav kird ud nām nihād.
(20) u-š perisp-ē kē sad-ud-aštād frasang drahnāy, vīst-u-panz šāh arešn bālāy, ē-sad-ud-aštād dar, kōšk ud dastgird framūd kirdan.
ped kust ī Xvarbarān
(21) šahrestān ī Tēsifōn, az framān ī Tus, Gurāzag ī Gēvagān kird.
(22) šahrestān ī Nesībīn, Varāzag ī Gēvagān kird.
(23) šahrestān ī Urhā, Nerīsah ī Aškānān kird.
(24) šahrestān ī Bābil, Bābil ped xvadāyīh ī Jim kird. u-š Tīr abāxtar ānōh bē bast, ud mārīg haft dvāzdah, ī axtarān abāxtarān, ud aštum bārag ped jādūgīh ō Mihr bābilīg bē nimūd.
(25) šahrestān ī Hērt, Šābuhr ī Ardašērān kird. u-š Mihrzād ī Hērt marzbān ped var ī tāzīgān bē gumārd.
(26) šahrestān ī Hamadān, Yazdegird ī Šābuhrān kird kē-šān Yazdegird ī Dabr xvānend.
(27) andar Māy-kust-ī-Nihāvand, Var ī Vahrāmāvand, šahrestān-ē Vahrām ī Yazdegirdān kird kē-šān Vahrām Gōr xvānd.
(28) vīst-ud-ēk šahrestān ī andar Pedišxvārgar kird ēsted, cē Armāyēl <xvad>, enyā az framān ī Armāyēl avēšān kōfyārān kird kē-šān az Azidahāk kōf ped šahriyārīh vindād ēstād.
(29) kōfiyār haft hend: Dumbāvand Visēmagān, ud /Nahagān/, ud /Visped/, ud /Naxvdārān/, ud /Vimanddārān/, ud bln/w/c’, ud mlyn/w/c’n.
(30) ēn hān būd kē-šān az Az Dahāk kōf ped šahriyārīh vindād ēstād.
(31) šahrestān ī Mōsil, Pērōz ī Šābuhrān kird.
(32) nōh šahrestān ī andar zamīg ī Gazīrag kird ēsted /Amidos/ ī kēsar brādarzād kird.
(33) vīst-u-cahār šahrestān ī andar zamīg ī Šām ud Yaman ud Frīkā ud Kōfā ud Makkā ud Madīnag gāh kird ēsted, ast ī šāhān šāh, ast ī kēsar.
ped kust ī Nēmrōz
(34) šahrestān ī Kābul, Ardašēr ī Spendyādān kird ēsted.
(35) šahrestān ī Raxvad (Roxad), Rahām ī Gōdarzān kird ped hān gāh ka-š vāspūr Cōl ī tūr ōzad, u-š Jabbū xāgān az ānōh stōb bē kird.
(36) šahrestān ī Bust, Bastvar ī Zerīrān kird ped hān gāh Vištāsp šāh dēn yaštan rāy ped Frazdān būd ud bunag ī Vištāsp ud abārīg vāspuhragān andar nišāst.
(37) šahrestān ī Frāh ud šahrestān ī Zāvulestān, Rōdastahm ī Sagestān šāh kird.
(38) šahrestān ī Zrang naxvist guzastag Frāsyāg ī tūr kird, u-š varzāvand ātaš ī Karkōy ānōh nišāst. u-š Manušcihr andar ō Pedišxvārgar kird, u-š Spendārmed ped zanīh xvāst, ud Spendārmed andar ō zamīg gumixt. šahrestān avīrān kird, u-š ātaš afsārd. pas Kay-Husrō ī Syāvašān šahrestān abāz kird, u-š ātaš ī Karkōy abāz nišāst. ud Ardašēr ī Pābagān šahrestān bē frazāmēnīd.
(39) šahrestān ī Kirmān, Pērōzān Kirmān šāh kird.
(40) šahrestān ī Vehardašēr ped sē xvadāy kird, ud Ardašēr ī Pābagān bē frazāmēnīd.
(41) šahrestān ī Staxr, Ardavān ī Pahlavīgān šāh kird.
(42) šahrestān ī Dārābgird, Dārā ī Dārāyān kird.
(43) šahrestān ī Vehšābuhr, Šābuhr ī Ardašērān kird.
(44) šahrestān ī Gōr ī Ardašērxvarrah, Ardašēr ī Pābagān kird.
(45) šahrestān ī Tavvag (/ Tambūg), Humāy ī Cihrāzād kird.
(46) šahrestān ī Ohrmazdardašēr ud šahrestān ī Rāmohrmazd, Ohrmazd ī nēv ī Šābuhrān kird.
(47) šahrestān ī Šūs ud Šūstar, Šīšēnduxt, zan ī Yazdegird ī Šābuhrān kird, cōn duxt ī rēšgālūdag, ī jehūdān šāh, mād-iz ī Vahrām Gōr būd.
(48) šahrestān ī Vandyōgšābuhr ud šāhrestān ī Ērānxvarrahšābuhr, Šābuhr ī Ardašērān kird, u-š Bēlābād nām nihād.
(49) šahrestān ī Nahrtērag ped dušxvadāyīh ī Azidahāk ped tan šabestān kird, ud zēndān ī Ērānšahr būd, Zēndān ī Aškān nām būd.
(50) šahrestān ī Simrān, Frēdōn ī Āspiyān kird, u-š Simrān šāh ōzad, u-š zamīg ī Simrān abāz ō xvēšīh ī Ērānšahr āvurd. u-š dašt ī tāzīg ped xvēšīh ud āzādīh bē ō Buxtxōsrō ī tāzīg šāh dād peyvann dārišn ī xvēš rāy.
(51) šahrestān ī /Ērānšādšābuhr/ Šābuhr ī Ardašērān kird.
(52) šahrestān ī ’sgl ud šahrestān ī Vehardašēr, Ardašēr ī Spendyādān kird, u-š ’wd’k ī Hagar marzbān, ped Var ī Tāzīgān bē gumārd.
(53) šahrestān ī Gay, guzastag Aleksander ī Filipōs kird. mānišn ī jehūdān ānōh būd. ped xvadāyīh ī Yazdegird ī Šābuhrān nīd az xvāyišn ī Šīšēnduxt ī-š zan būd.
(54) šahrestān ī Ērānāsānkirdkavād, Kavād ī Pērōzān kird.
(55) šahrestān ī Aškar, Vahrām ī Yazdegirdān kird.
ped kust ī Ādurbāyagān
(56) šahrestān ī Ādurbāyagān, Ērāngušnasp ī Ādurbāyagān spāhbed kird.
(57) šahrestān ī Van, Van ī Gulaxšān kird, ud ped zanīh ō Kay-Kavād mad, ud drubuštīh ī Arvandasp, Tūr ī Brādrōīš ī karap ped jādūgīh kird pānagīh ī gyān ī xvēš rāy.
(58) ped kust ī Ādurbāyagān šahrestān ī Ganzag, Frāsyāg ī tūr kird.
(59) šahrestān ī Āmuy, Zandag ī purmarg kird. Zardušt ī Spitāmān az hān šahrestān būd.
(60) šahrestān ī Bagdād, Abū-Jāfar cōn-šān Abū-Davānīg xvānend kird, ped pērōzīh āvišt.
frazaft ped drūd ud šādīh ud rāmišn.
English
(1) The cities that are built in the lands of Ērānšahr: this that which chief lords have founded them is written in detail in this memoir.
[The quarter of the East]
(2) In the quarter of the East, Kavi Usan son of Kavāta laid the foundation of the city of Samarkand, and Syāvaršan son of Kavi Usan finished it.
(3) Kavi Haosravah son of Syāvaršan was born there. He set up there the illuminating Fire the victorious.
(4) Thereafter, Zaraθuštra brought the Daēnā (i.e., Religion, Avesta). By the order of King Vīštāspa were engraved and written 1200 chapters [of the Avesta] in Daēnā-script on gilt tablets and deposited in the treasury of that Fire.
(5) After that the accursed Alexander burnt [the book] and threw it into the river.
Sogdiana has seven settlements:
(6) and its having seven settlements means that there existed seven royal settlements in it: one that of Yima; one that of Aži Dahāka; one that of ϴraētaona; one that of Manuš.ciθra; one that of Kavi Usan; one that of Kavi Haosravah; one that of Aurvat̰.aspa; and one that of king Vīštāspa.
(7) Then the accursed Fraŋrasyan the Tūra made each one of the (seven) abodes of the kings therein an idol-temple or a heathen temple.
(8) In the brilliant Bactria, Spǝṇtōδāta son of Vīštāspa built the city of Navāzag.
(9) He set up there the illuminating Fire the victorious. He struck his lance there, and sent a message to Yabγu Xāgān, Sinjipū Xāgān, Cōl Xāgān, the Great Kān, Gaoθraman(t), Tucāp (Tačāp), and Ǝrǝzrāspa king of the Hyaona, thus:
“Look to my lance! May every one look to the movement of this lance who may run to Ērānšahr!”
(10) Narsē, the son of the Jewess, built the city of Chorasmia.
(11) Vahrām son of Yazdegird built the city of Marvrōd.
(12) The accursed Alexander the Greek built the city of Marv and the city of Herat (Harē/ Areia).
(13) Šābuhr son of Ardašēr built the city of Pōšang, and built a transportable bridge in Pōšang.
(14) Tusa son of Naotara who was commander in chief for 900 years (built) the city of Tōs. After Tusa the command in chief came to Zairivari, after Zairivari to Bastavari, and after Bastavari to Kavārasman.
(15) Šābuhr son Ardašēr built the city of Nēvšābuhr. At that time when he killed the Turyan Pāraγzag, he ordered to build the city at that very place.
(16) Kavi Aurvat̰.aspa father of Vīštāspa built the city of Kāyin.
(17) Narsē the Arsacian built in Hyrcania a city called Dahestān.
(18a) Aži Dahāka for his personal seraglio built the city of Kōmiš of five walls. The residence of the Parthians was there.
(18b) During the reign of Yazdegird son of Šābuhr was built against the attack of the Čōl [the mountain fortress] Virōypahr [for] that side.
(19) Xusrō son of Kavād built five cities and named them (Xusrō):
Xusrō-šād, Xusrō-mustābād, Vispšād-Xusrō, Hubōy-Xusrō, Šādfarrox-Xusrō.
(20) And he ordered to build a wall of 180 parasangs long and 25 royal cubits high, with 180 gates, a palace and a [landed] estate.
[The quarter of the West]
(21) In the quarter of the West, Varāza son of Gēv built by the order of Tusa the city of Ctesiphon.
(22) Varāza son of Gēv built the city of Nisibis.
(23) Narsē the Arsacian built the city of Edessa.
(24) Babylon built the city of Babylon during the reign of Yima. He fettered there the planet Tīr (Mercury). And he showed the account of the seven and the twelve, that is, [the astrology of] the constellations and planets, and the eighth tower (sky of the fixed stars), by sorcery to Miθra of Babylon.
(25) Šābuhr son of Ardašēr built the city of Hērt (Ḥīra), and he appointed Mihrzād the margrave of Hērt on the “desert” of the Arabs.
(26) Yazdegird son of Šābuhr whom they call Yazdegird the rough built the city of Hamadān (Ecbatana).
(27) Vahrām son of Yazdegird whom they have called Vahrām gōr (‘the onager’) built a city in [the land of] Māy-kust-ī-Nihāvand [called ] Var ī Vahrāmāvand.
(28) The twenty-one cities which have been built in Pedišxvārgar, either Armāyēl [himself] built [some] or else some were built, at the order of Armāyēl, by the mountain-rulers who from Aži Dahāka had obtained the dominion of the mountains [of Pedišxvārgar].
(29) There are seven mountain-rulers: Dumbāvand Visēmagān; Nahagān; Visped; Naxvdārān; Vimanddāragān; bln/w/cʾn; mlyn/w/cʾn.
(30) These were those who from Aži Dahāka had obtained mountains for kingship.
(31) Pērōz son of Šābuhr built the city of Mosul.
(32) The nine cities which have been built in the land of Mesopotamia Superior (Jazira), Amidos, the nephew of Caesar, built them.
(33) The twenty-four cities which exist in the lands of Syria, Yemen, and Africa, Kūfa and Mecca and Medina, some (were built) by the king of kings and some by the Caesar.
[The quarter of the South]
(34) In the quarter of the south, Artaxšaθra son of Spǝṇtōδāta built the city of Kabul.
(35) Rahām son of Gōdarz built the city of Roxad at that time when he killed Vāspūr Cōl the Turyān, and defeated Yabγu Xāgān there.
(36) Bastavari son of Zairivari built the city of Bust, at the time when king Vīštāspa was in Frazdān to celebrate the Religion, and set up there the abode of Vīštāspa and other princes.
(37) Rustam, the king of Scythia, built the city of Frāh and the city of Zābul.
(38) The accursed Fraŋrasyan the Turyan first built the city of Zrang, and set up the illuminating Fire of Karkōy there. He “besieged” Manuš.ciθra in Pedišxvārgar, and desired Spǝṇtā Ārmaiti to wife. Spǝṇtā Ārmaiti mixed in the earth; (then, Fraŋrasyan) destroyed the city, and extinguished the Fire. Afterwards, Kavi Haosravah son of Syāvaršan restored the city, and he again set up the Fire of Karkōy. Ardašēr son of Pābag finished the city.
(39) Pērōzān, the king of Kirmān, built the city of Kirmān.
(40) The city of Vehardašēr was built by three lords, and Ardašēr son of Pābag finished it.
(41) Ardavān, the Parthian king, built the city of Staxr.
(42) Dārā (Darius) son of Dārā built the city of Dārābgird.
(43) Šābuhr son of Ardašēr built the city of Vehšābuhr.
(44) Ardašēr son of Pābag built the city of Gōr (of) Ardašērxvarrah.
(45) Humāyā of noble ciθra built the city of Tavvag (or, Tambūg).
(46) Hormazd the brave son of Šābuhr bult the city of Hormazdardašēr and the city of Rāmhormazd.
(47) Šīšēnduxt, the wife of Yazdegird, as she was the daughter of the exilarch, i.e. the empowered [head] of the Jews, and also the mother of Vahrām gōr, built the cities of Susa and Sostrate.
(48) Šābuhr son of Ardašēr built the city of Gundīšābuhr, and the city of Ērānxvarrahšābuhr, and named it Bēlābād.
(49) Aži Dahāka during his evil reign built the city of Nahr Tērag as his personal seraglio; and it became the prison of Ērānšahr, and it was called Zēndān ī Aškān.
(50) ϴraētaona of the family Āθβya built the city of [the Ḥimyarites], Simrān. He killed mswl the king of Simrān, and brought the land of Simrān back into the possession of Ērānšahr, and conveyed the Arabian plain as a personal inherited possession to Bādesrū, the Arab king, so that his descendants should (also) possess it.
(51) Šābuhr son of Ardašēr built the city of Ērān-šād<-Šābūr>.
(52) Artaxšaθra son of Spǝṇtōδāta built the city of ʾsgl and the city of Veh, and he appointed ʾwdʾkꞋ, the margrave of Hagar, ywwyyl and bwlkl on the “desert” of the Arabs.
(53) The accursed Alexander son of Philip built the city of Gay. The colony of the Jews was there. In the reign of Yazdegird son of Šābuhr [the Jews] were carried there by the request of Šīšēnduxt who was his wife.
(54) Kavād son of Pērōz built the city of Ērānāsānkirdkavād.
(55) Vahrām son of Yazdegird built the city of Aškar.
[The quarter of the North]
(56) Ērāngušnasp, General of Ādurbāyagān, built the city of Ādurbāyagān.
(57) Van [the daughter] of Gulaxš (Vologeses) built the city of Van, and came in marriage to Kavi Kavāta. Tūra of Brāθrō.īš, the Karapan, built [there] the fortification of Arvandasp, by magic, for the protection of his own life.
(58) In the quarter of Ādurbāyagān (the north), Fraŋrasyan the Turyan built the city of Ganzag (Ganja).
(59) Zaṇda pouru.mahrka built the city of Āmuy. Zaraθuštra of the Spitāma family was from that city.
(60) Abū Jaʿfar whom they call Abū dawānīq built the city of Bagdād and sealed (/entitled) it “in victory”.
Finished in health, happiness and peace.
See also: