Barbad

Barbad
Artwork of Barbad
Born	Unknown Jahrom or Marv
Died	628 Ctesiphon or Jahrom
Occupation	Musician

Barbad (Persian: بربد‎‎) or Barbad-ī Marvazi (Persian: باربد جهرمی‎‎ / باربد / باربذ) was a Persian musician of the Sassanid era, who lived during the rule of Khosrau II, 590 to 628.

The name is the Arabicized pronunciation of the Persian name Pahlbod, which is most probably how he was called in his own day.

In most sources, Jahrom a small city south of Shiraz in the Pars province is mentioned as his birthplace, but in some sources he is mentioned as "Marvi" (meaning from Marv). Barbad was the most famous and skilled court musician of the Sassanid Empire of Persia. Barbad is remembered in much documents and has been named as a remarkably high skilled musician of his time. He has been credited to have given an organisation of musical system consisting of seven "Royal modes" named Xosrovani (Persian: سرود خسروانى‎‎), thirty derivative modes named lahn, and 360 melodies named dastan. These numbers are in accordance with Sassanid's calendar of number of days in a week, month, and year. His musical theories based on which these modal system was based are not known, however the writers of later period have left a list of these modes and melodies. These names include some of epic forms such as kin-e Iraj (lit. the Vengeance of Iraj), kin-e siavash (lit. the Vengeance of Siavash), and Taxt-e Ardashir (lit. the Throne of Ardashir) and some connected with the glories of Sassanid royal court such as Bagh-e shirin (lit the garden of Shirin), Bagh-e Shahryar (lit. the Sovereign's Garden), and haft Ganj (lit. the seven treasures). There are also some of a descriptive nature like roshan cheragh (lit. bright lights).