Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D student , Department of History, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Najaf Abad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najaf Abad, Iran.
2 Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Najaf Abad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najaf Abad, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Literature & Humanities, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
Abstract
The Sasanian era marks a period of significant transformation in administrative, cultural, and religious frameworks. The interpretation of concepts such as sin, justice, and punishment was particularly crucial within the framework of religious and customary laws. An in-depth analysis of the sins and punishments of women offers a realistic view of the social and legal attitudes of the time. This study seeks to examine, analyze, and explain the most important sins of women and their punishments in Sasanian Iran, using historical and legal sources. The primary goal is to clarify what behaviors were considered female ‘sins’ in the Sasanian legal, religious, and historical texts, what factors determined the punishments, and what the social and legal consequences of these regulations were for women in the Sasanian social structure. The research method combines textual and historical analysis. The results show that in Sasanian society, the system of sin and punishment for women extended beyond religion and morality and was deeply influenced by social attitudes. This system served as a symbolic tool to maintain order and strengthen the structure of family and religion. Women’s sins ranged from minor disobedience, such as not observing the dāshtanistān ritual, to major crimes such as abortion, prostitution, and witchcraft. Punishments varied according to the severity of the sin, from flogging and fines to death or eternal torment. Ultimately, this system was more about gender control, the reproduction of social hierarchies, and the preservation of a ‘sacred order’ than legal rights.
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