ܦܨܓܪܝܒܐ pṣgrybʾ a Parthian title
Allotrope: ܒܨܓܪܝܒܐ bṣgrybʾ
MIr. *pačāγrīw or *pašāγrīw; < OIr. *pašă- or *pasčā-grīwa- lit. "behind / instead of the self" (that is, of the king); cf. ManMP psʾgryw /pasāgrīw/ deputy, representative (Durkin-Meisterernst 2004, 284); Sodg. pʾsgryw (Sims-Williams 1979, 136); ManSogd. pšʾgryw (Parthian loanword). Syr. pṣgrybʾ is attested very early: it already appears in an inscription from Urfa (Edessa) dating back to the second cent. AD; in Bardaisanes (third cent. AD); in the Hymn to the Pearl of the Acts of Thomas (vv. 15; 42 and 60, ed. Poirier 1981; cf. Gershevitch 1954a; Widengren 1960, 28 f.; Benveniste 1966, 58 f.). The form is also attested in Hatr. pšgrbʾ, pzgrybʾ (cf. Poirier 1981, 215 ff.; Rosenthal 1987, 253; Greenfield 1987, 258) ● pṣgrybʾ E Ch 2, 19, 17; apap 1, 276, 12 = am 3, 112, 16 = HS 48, rather pṣnrybʾ? Pognon Inscr. 206; Add 9, 10; bṣgrybʾ Inscr. ed. Burkitt PSBA 1906, 151 ◆ LS 586b; 86a; Healey 1995, 81
As to the phonological problems related to the MIr. form that was the model of the Semitic loanwords, as well as to the historical aspects of the office, cf. Khurshudian 1998, 184 ff.; Widengren 1960, 28 f. and n. 102; Gershevitch 1954a, 124; Benveniste 1966, 58 f. On the real meaning of the Iranian title ("heir to the throne, crown-prince", not "representative of the king", or "vice-king") see Gnoli 2002. The Ir. word designates an important Parthian office; it can also refer to the highest office of the Eastern Manichaean Church, or to governors envoyed by the king of kings, or to the successor appointed to the throne. See also Khurshudian 1998, 184–192; Henning 1958, 62 n. 2; Szemerényi 1975, 365, with bibl.; Widengren 1960, 28 f. and n. 102.