History of Iran |
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Arya (Avestan: 𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀, airiia; Old Persian: 𐎠𐎼𐎡𐎹, ariyaʰ; Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭩𐭫, er; Parthian: 𐭀𐭓𐭉, ary; Bactrian: αρια, 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: 𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀, anairiia; Middle Persian: 𐭠𐭭𐭩𐭥, 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]