The Barmakids were a noble Persian family that came to great political power under the Abbasid caliphs.The family has its origin in a line of hereditary priests from Nawbahar west of Balkh Afghanistan. Traditionally, Islamic historians considered the Barmakids to be Zoroastrian priests before converting to Islam; though modern scholars reject this interpretation. According to historian Andre Clot, they "came from Khorasan, but their roots were Buddhist, not Zoroastrian"