candidate: However , if marzipan has its origin in Persia , it is not unlikely that the name may come from Marzban ( in Persian : مرزبان , derived from the words Marz مرز meaning " border " or " boundary " and the suffix - bān بان meaning guardian ) , a class of margraves or military commanders in charge of border provinces of the Sassanid Empire of Persia ( Iran ) between 3rd and 7th centuries CE .