Origins of Dehbed/Dihqan

[Arjos]

I see you are aware of the encyclopedia iranica, which is great ;)

It would seem that whoever was in charge of Pahlava, in the EBI's team, opted for a reconstructed Pahlavi word, while retaining the concept (which is a viable speculation, since as you can see the sources hint at legendary reforms, associating it to Kosrow's is another interpretation as well, such is the academic world :P Then again a lack of earlier mentions does not make it look too good)...
Nevertheless the social organisation did exist for such chiefs at the start of our period, whether they were tribal/village headsmen or raid-bands leaders. (Think for example of Arsakes' early years. While regarding for the equipment archaeology does back up the armaments)...

So, if I understood correctly, the problem here is simply a less apt name for the 3rd century BCE, something I'm sure the historians in charge were already aware of. You gotta remember that EBI's material is getting pretty old itself (and no one has been working on it ever since), this is just one example of the to improve/already improved (and constantly so) aspects of the mod that everyone is working on ^^