Arya (Iran)
Self-designation used by the early Iranians / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Arya (Avestan: π¬π¬π¬π¬π¬π¬, airiia; Old Persian: π πΌπ‘πΉ, ariyaΚ°; Middle Persian: π π©π«β, er; Parthian: πππβ, ary; Bactrian: Ξ±ΟΞΉΞ±, aria;) was the ethnonym used by Iranians during the early History of Iran.[1] In contrast to cognates of Arya used by the Vedic people and Iranic steppe nomads, the term is commonly translated using the modern ethnonym Iranian.[2][3]
During Old Iranian times, Arya was used in an ethnic, linguistic and religious sense.[4] It also acquired a political meaning, during the Middle Iranian period, as Eran Shar (dominion of the Aryas).[5] Arya was also contrasted with Anarya (Avestan: π¬π¬₯π¬π¬π¬π¬π¬π¬, anairiia; Middle Persian: π ππ©π₯β, aner), denoting foreign lands and peoples.[6]
After the Islamic conquest of Iran, the ethnonym fell out of use, but the term Eran (of the Aryas) experienced a revival during the Iranian Renaissance, now as a toponym for Greater Iran.[7] The modern ethnonym Iranian is a back-formation from the toponym Eran, itself a back-formation from the older Arya.[8]