The mainstream view of the time was mainly opposed by Stjepan Krizin Sakač, who emphasized that the word "bajan" is never mentioned in historical sources as a title, the title "ban" is never mentioned in such a form, and there's no evidence that Avars and Turks ever used a title closely related to the title "ban". Sakač connected the Croatian "bân" with statements from two Persian dictionaries (released 1893 and 1903); the noun "bàn" (lord, master, illustrious man, chief), suffix "bân" (guard), and the Sasanian title "merz-bân" (مرزبان marz-bān, Marzban). He considered that the early Croats originated from the Iranian-speaking Sarmatians probably Alans and Aorsi. The view of the possible Iranian origin (from "ban"; keeper, guard), besides Avarian, was shared by the modern scholars like Vladimir Košćak, Horace Lunt and Tibor Živković.