The Army and Militarism in the Samanid Era

Abstract Following Arab invasions into Iran and their territorial expansion within the Sasanian realm, Iranian discontent with Arab rulers grew, particularly during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. These grievances sparked uprisings and revolts, eroding Arab control over the eastern reaches of the Islamic Empire and gradually enabling local governments in the east to assert autonomy. Amidst conflicts on its western borders and engagements with the Byzantine Empire, the Abbasid Caliphate grew uneasy as local governments like the Tahirids, Saffarids, and Samanids declared independence, albeit with nominal allegiance to Baghdad. Among these emerging powers, the Samanids of Transoxiana, centered in Bukhara, rose to prominence. Originally prominent commanders within the Abbasid army, the Samanid rulers, with the backing of their people and forces, navigated toward independence. Initially part of the Abbasid army hierarchy and beneficiaries of military training under the Abbasid regime, the Samanid emirs seized the opportunity created by the weakened Caliphate and conflicting interests with Baghdad, establishing a semi-independent government in the east.In this historical context, military forces and militarism held significant importance for all the established systems in the eastern regions, including the Samanids. The military played a pivotal role in shaping and sustaining Iranian local governments like the Samanids.