Feudalism and its Characteristics in Ancient Iran The fifth and final lecture examines feudalism and vassalage as identified by various scholars in the Achaemenid, Arsacid, and Sasanian evidence. It considers…

Descent and Marriage in Achaemenid Iran The fourth lecture begins by examining the use of ethnos and genos in Herodotus’ discussion of Median and Persian ‘tribes.’ It then turns to…

Problems in the Study of Elamite Kinship The third lecture relies largely on evidence from Susa, first considering the nature of the site’s population and then turning to filiation, descent,…

Aspects of Kinship in Iranian Prehistory The second lecture examines the use of ceramics to indicate group affinity; the proposition that ceramics may reflect patterns of marriage and residence within…

Money is to the West, What Kinship is to the Rest The first lecture sets the scene by discussing why kinship is an important if often overlooked aspect of Iranian…