𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎣

𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎣

Old Persian

Etymology

From *(w)r̥šā (“man; hero”) +‎ 𐎣 (k /-kaʰ/, hypocoristic suffix).[1][2][3] First element alternatively from r̥šaʰ (“bear”), from Proto-Iranian *Hŕ̥šah.[4]

Proper noun

𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎣 (a-r-š-k /R̥šakaʰ/)

1. a male given name, Arshaka, Arsaces

Derived terms

• *R̥šakānaʰ[5]
  • Persian: اشکان‎ (Aškân)
  • → Elamite:

    Achaemenid Elamite: 𒅕𒐼𒋡𒈾 (ir-šá-ka₄-na /Iršakana/)

Descendants

(taking Old Persian as representative for all Old Iranian:)

• Middle Persian: *Aršak
  • Persian: ارشک‎ (Aršak), اشک‎ (Ašk)
    • → Arabic: أَشَك‎ (ʾašak)
    • → Gandhari: 𐨀𐨪𐨿𐨮𐨐‎ (Arṣaka)
  • → Old Armenian: Արշակ (Aršak) (see there for further descendants)
  • → Middle Chinese: 安息 (ʔan-sik)
  • → Ossetian: Арсӕгтӕ (Arsægtæ)[6]
  • → Parthian:

    Inscriptional Parthian: 𐭀𐭓𐭔𐭊‎ (ʾršk /Aršak/)

  • → Classical Syriac: ܐܪܫܟ‎ (ʾAršaḵ)
• → Ancient Greek: Ἀρσάκης (Arsákēs)
  • Greek: Αρσάκης (Arsákis)
  • → Latin: Arsacēs

References

1. Tolman, Herbert Cushing (1908), “aršaka”, in Ancient Persian lexicon and the texts of the Achaemenidan inscriptions transliterated and translated with special reference to their recent re-examination (Vanderbilt Oriental Series; 6), New York/Cincinnati/Chicago: American Book Company, page 67
2. Bartholomae, Christian (1904), “[//archive.org/stream/altiranischeswr00bartgoog#page/n140.5 j. ²aršan-]”, in Altiranisches Wörterbuch [Old Iranian Dictionary] (in German), Strassburg: K. J. Trübner, column 204
3. Ciancaglini, Claudia (2012), “Outcomes of the Indo-Iranian suffix *-ka- in Old Persian and Avestan”, in DARIOSH Studies II. Persepolis and his Settlements. Territorial System and Ideology in the Achaemenid State‎, Napoli: Università degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale", page 94
4. Ačaṙyan, Hračʿya (1942), “Արշակ”, in Hayocʿ anjnanunneri baṙaran [Dictionary of Personal Names of Armenians] (Erewani petakan hamalsaran. Gitakan ašxatutʿyunner; 21) (in Armenian), volume I, Yerevan: University Press, page 290f
5. Tavernier, Jan (2007), “4.2.1433 *Ršakana-”, in Iranica in the Achaemenid Period (ca. 550–330 B.C.): Lexicon of Old Iranian Proper Names and Loanwords, Attested in Non-Iranian Texts, Peeters Publishers, →ISBN, page 290
6. Schmitt, Rüdiger, editor (1989) Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum‎, Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, →ISBN, page 240

Further reading

• Hübschmann, Heinrich (1897) Armenische Grammatik. 1. Theil: Armenische Etymologie (in German), Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, page 27