 The "asbaran" have often been demonstrated as an example of existence of feudalism in Iran by modern scholars, who simply refer them as either chevalier, knight, or ritter.According to historians such as Christensen and Widengren, the "asbar" had the same status as the knight.However, although the "asbaran" and knight resemble each other in many parts, the economic role and historical role of the knight is very different compared to the role of the "asbaran" in the Sasanian Empire, which thus makes it incorrect to refer the "asbaran" as knights.