Aniran (in Middle-Persian انيران pronounced An-Iran meaning region non-Iran). The terms used in the pre-Islamic era, refering to people living on the fringes of the Iranian plateau. The term is the equivalent to Greco-Roman term of the Barbarian Land. The Pahlavi script was used broadly in the Sasanid Persian Empire to write down Middle Persian for secular, as well as religious purposes. ... The Islamic conquest of Iran (637-651 CE) destroyed the Sassanid Empire and led to the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Iran. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Classical antiquity. ... // The word barbarian generally refers to an uncivilized, uncultured person, either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos perceived as having an inferior level of civilization, or in an individual reference to a brutal, cruel, insensitive person of behavior inacceptable in a civilized society. ...

History

The earliest reference to this word in an Iranian context, however, predates prophet Zoroaster (1800 BC) and is attested in non-Gathic Avesta; it appears as airya, meaning noble; as airya dainhava (Yt.8.36, 52) meaning the land of the Aryans; and as airyana vaejah, the original land of the Aryans. This term, it seems, was adopted in remote antiquity by Iranians as their national identity [2]; hence other peoples were called Anairya and later Aniranian, meaning non-Aryan, probably a derogatory racial designation. Zoroaster, in a popular Parsi Zoroastrian depiction. ... See Avesta Municipality for the Swedish town Yasna 28. ...

The Sasanian Adoption of the name

We meet this word again in Pahlavi literature, and in many Sasanian inscriptions, coins, seals and other documents; it is attested in Pahlavi as Ēr, meaning noble or hero; as Iran, Iran; as Ērān-Shahr, meaning the Iranian Empire; as Ērān-vēz, meaning the mythical original land of the Aryans; as Anēr, meaning non-Aryan, barbarian; and as Aniran, i.e., barbarity and ignobility. This article needs to be wikified. ... Head of king Shapur II (Sasanian dynasty A.D. 4th century). ... The Pahlavi script was used broadly in the Sasanid Persian Empire to write down Middle Persian for secular, as well as religious purposes. ... Aryan ()is an English language word derived from the Indian Vedas and Iranian Avestan terms ari-, arya-, ārya-, and/or the extended form aryāna-. The Sanskrit and Old Persian languages both pronounced the word as arya- () and aryan. ...

The term was first appeared on the coins of the Ardashir I, the founder of Sasanian Empire. Ardeshir’s successors retained the designation thus emphasizing their claim to world dominion and over non-Iranian race. Silver coin of Ardashir I with a fire altar on its verso (British Museum London). ... Head of king Shapur II (Sasanian dynasty A.D. 4th century). ...

Some scholars believe that the term was mainly referring to non-Persians as well as non- Zoroastrians, living in the Empire. The Persians of Iran (officially named Persia by West until 1935 while still referred to as Persia by some) are an Iranian people who speak Persian (locally named Fârsi by native speakers) and often refer to themselves as ethnic Iranians as well. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Zoroastrians. ...

Aniran in Shahnameh

In Ferdowsi's epic, Shahnameh, the function and suage of the word changes and becomes homeland of Iranian nomadic tribes known as Turanians and the Oxus river is the border between Iran and Turan. The other name for this region described by Ferdowsi is Transoxiana. Ferdowsi Tousi (فردوسی طوسی in Persian) (more commonly transliterated Firdausi, Ferdosi or Ferdusi) (935–1020) is considered to be one of the greatest Persian poets to have ever lived. ... Shahnameh Scenes from the Shahnameh carved into reliefs at Tus, where Ferdowsi is buried. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The Amu Darya (in Persian آمودریا; Darya means river in Persian) rises in the Pamirs and flows mainly north-west through the Hindu Kush, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to join the Aral Sea in a large river delta. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Map showing modern Transoxiana. ...