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<blockquote data-quote="Tonguez" data-source="post: 9140044" data-attributes="member: 1125">the story of the 40 theives was similar to or maybe even based on that of the Banu Sasan (Sons of Sasan) who are first mentioned in the 8th century.&nbsp; Legend states that Shaikh Sāsān was the son of a persian ruler who, after his father was deposed by the arab&nbsp; conquest, became a beggar and vagabond, gathering around him other disposed people who became notorious as brigands, thieves and charlatans.The term outlived the Shaik Sāsān and became a general term for tribes of beggar/theifs. The term was often applied to Kurdish raiders and was known from across the whole middleeast from Syria to IndiaThe Banu Sasan are to be contrasted with the ayyar/fotūwa who were bands of young men (fetyān) who in Sasanian tradition were knights-errant expected to show the virtues of courage, generosity, and chivalry. They were known to harrass unscrupulous merchants and cruel governors. However after the fall of the Sasanian dynasty these groups often became viewed as trouble-makers and protection rackets. In Baghdad they managed to gain control of policing but this was lost when Turkey gained power and policing became an army role. </blockquote>

[QUOTE="Tonguez, post: 9140044, member: 1125"] the story of the 40 theives was similar to or maybe even based on that of the Banu Sasan (Sons of Sasan) who are first mentioned in the 8th century. Legend states that Shaikh Sāsān was the son of a persian ruler who, after his father was deposed by the arab conquest, became a beggar and vagabond, gathering around him other disposed people who became notorious as brigands, thieves and charlatans. The term outlived the Shaik Sāsān and became a general term for tribes of beggar/theifs. The term was often applied to Kurdish raiders and was known from across the whole middleeast from Syria to India The Banu Sasan are to be contrasted with the ayyar/fotūwa who were bands of young men (fetyān) who in Sasanian tradition were knights-errant expected to show the virtues of courage, generosity, and chivalry. They were known to harrass unscrupulous merchants and cruel governors. However after the fall of the Sasanian dynasty these groups often became viewed as trouble-makers and protection rackets. In Baghdad they managed to gain control of policing but this was lost when Turkey gained power and policing became an army role[I]. [/I] [/QUOTE]

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