Abstract

Function and position of Khawajas during the Achaemenid 

Reza Bigdelo

Mehran Haidari

The nobles were castrated boys who, from ancient times, with the expansion of the court structure and polygamy, were present inside castles. From the point of view of gender morphology, eunuchs can be classified into third sex that did not belong to men and women. In ancient Iran, from the kingdom of the Medes to the Sassanid era, there is evidence of the presence of nobility in the court of kings and within the aristocracy. However, the Achaemenid era is special in terms of the presence and functions of the eunuchs. The authors of this article, by using historiography of the lower classes analyze the role and function of this group in the Achaemenid state.  The study shows that the eunuchs (Khawajas), as a class, had special roles in the court of the Shah during the Achaemenid era, various roles including guardian of the castles and the shrines, serving the royal family, and were in charge of organizing military and administrative affairs. These Khawaja’s were involved in political disputes, groupings, and conflicts, and some influenced the general political life of the Achaemenid state.

Keyword: Khajegan, Achaemenid government, Iran, shrine, court, lower