Barbod or Barbod the Great was the court musician of the Sassanid Empire. He created the first ever musical system in the Middle East, known as the Royal Khosravani, dedicated to the king Khosrau II.Barbud employed 30 sounds for music. Naturally, he should have recorded his inspirations and performed them for his audience, since if he did not, he could not play them again. It was Barbad, who through a song - potentially risking his life - informed Sassanid king, Khosrau Parvez of his most beloved horse, Shabdiz's death. Head of king Shapur II (Sasanian dynasty A.D. 4th century). ... Khosrau II, the Victorious (Parvez), king of Persia, son of Hormizd IV, grandson of Khosrau I, 590 - 628. ... Khosrau II, the Victorious (Parvez), king of Persia, son of Hormizd IV, grandson of Khosrau I, 590 - 628. ... Shabdiz is the name of the legendary and beloved horse of Khosrau Parvez, a Sassanid king. ...

Barbod, the most famous of these court musicians, reportedly conceived a musical system consisting of seven royal modes, thirty derivative modes, and three-hundred sixty melodies. This was the oldest Middle Eastern musical system of which some traces still exist. Its enduring heritage is the names given to some dastgahs in the modern system of Persian music. The tradition of Persian art music embodies twelve modal systems, known as dastgahs. ...

See also

• Music of Iran
• Sassanid Empire
• Music of Sassanids