Satrap - Etymology

Etymology

The word "satrap" is from an Avestan cognate to Sanskrit kṣatriya क्षत्रिय. The Old Persian xšaθrapāvan ("protector of the province"), from xšaθra ("realm" or "province") and pāvan ("protector"). In Greek, the word was rendered as σατράπης, satrápēs, and was romanized as satrapes, from the Old Persian xšaθrapā(van)). In modern Persian this would have naturally evolved to شهربان (shahrbān). "Sharbān", translated from modern Persian, literally means "town keeper"; (شهر "shahr", meaning "town", بان "bān" meaning "keeper"). The word is likely ultimately derived from ancient Sanskrit.

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