The Median kingdom, once formed from a tribal union, occupies a prominent place in the political, cultural and economic history of antiquity. This is one of the states where Zoroastrianism and the teachings directly related to it were widely spread. It lasted from 670 BC. e. to 550 BC e., but in its heyday it extended much wider than conventional ethnic boundaries.
Geographic location
Once a large ancient eastern state, called Media, is now an ethnographic region located in the west, owned by Iran. On the map of the Ancient World, it covered an impressive territory, which in the north was bounded by the Araks and Elbrus rivers, and in the West by the forts of the Zagros, the largest modern mountain range. The southern part of the state of the Medes was limited by the Caspian Sea. To the east of the territory stretched the Deshte Kevir saline desert, which is nowcentral part of Iran.
Rise of the State
The first mention of the Medes is found in the Assyrian annals of the second half of the 9th century. BC e. In his writings, Herodotus calls the tribes that inhabited Media Aryans. Apparently, this was their self-name. The scripture of this ancient state refers to the “Country of the Aryans.”
When Iranian tribes from Central Asia entered the territory of modern Iran is unknown. Most historians are inclined to believe that this happened around 2000-1500 BC. e. It is likely that initially the tribal union was formed from indigenous tribes belonging to the area. However, already in the 9-8 centuries. BC e. changes begin to occur. They were associated with the arrival of new tribes. The state of Media during this period is characterized by the strengthening of the Iranian-speaking element, which later became predominant.
From the 8th c. BC e. the first small associations begin to appear on the territory of the future power. These are peculiar state-regions, among which Mana is the most significant. It was it that later became the economic and cultural center of Media. Thus, at a certain moment, tribal unions and state-regions existed on the same territory. If you believe the records of Herodotus, then the person who united them, that is, the founder of the state of Media, is Deioces.
Deyok (Daiukku)
Initially, Deyok served as a judge, and approximately from 670 to 647 years. BC e. was the first king of Media. According to the evidence leftHerodotus, he had great authority among his fellow tribesmen, was distinguished by justice and, guided by it, resolved disputes on a wide variety of issues, while complete lawlessness reigned throughout the country. It is for this reason that he was chosen as a judge. All Media knew about these qualities of Deioka, therefore, after the next meeting, he was elected king. The first thing the ruler did was to unite six tribes: magicians, beads, strukhats, arizatns, budians and paretakens. At his direction, the ancient state found its capital in the form of the newly built city of Ecbatana.
Subsequent kings of Media
Ancient authors give a number of conflicting information about the periods of reign of the kings of Media. For quite a long time, the chronology was built on the works of Herodotus, who were considered the most reliable sources.
- Fravartish, or Phraortes (circa 647-625 BC) is the son of Deiokas (the first king), who inherited power from him. An ambitious and warlike ruler who went to war against the Persians and subjugated them. Having conquered some other peoples, he was eventually defeated by the Assyrians.
- Uvakhshatra, or Cyaxares (circa 625-585 BC) - a direct successor of the previous king. It was he who put the army in order, dividing it by types of weapons and functions. During the reign of Cyaxares, there is an invasion of the Scythians and the second campaign in Assyria.
- Ishtuvegu, or Astyages (about 585-550 BC) is the son of Cyaxares and the last Median king. Under him, Media after a bloody three-year war was conquered by the Persians.
Medes society
Currently, historians have an insufficient amount of archaeological and other data that would allow us to explore the social system and state structure of Media. In archaeological terms, it has been poorly studied, and most of the sources (archives of cities) have not yet been excavated. However, there are suggestions that in the 9-8 centuries. BC e. The Medes lived in a military democracy. In fact, this period represents a transition from the primitive communal system to the early slaveholding. The main pillars of the economy were agriculture and cattle breeding, especially horse breeding, as well as developing crafts.
The military successes had a strong influence on the development of society, because it was a rather warlike state. Media in the process of wars of conquest with its "neighbors" came into contact with the most ancient civilizations in the East. As a result, first in the western part of the country, and then everywhere, the share of slave labor began to increase, which was used not only in the royal household, but also in temple complexes, in the houses of the nobility. Then, probably, there was an increase in the exploitation of the community members and, as a result, a deepening of class antagonism. This was one of the reasons for the weakening of the state and its availability for conquest by neighboring countries.
Capital of the State of Media
The capital of Media, the city of Ecbatana (now Hamadan) was located in a fertile valley. According to historians, it was founded around 3000 BC. e.,despite the fact that Assyrian sources point to 1100 BC. e. The we alth of Ecbatana was legendary. The ancient Greek historian Polybius, when describing the royal palace, mentions 7 stages in a circle, a citadel and, at the same time, the complete absence of walls near the city. All the wooden parts of the building were made of cypress and cedar, the columns, beams and ceilings were sheathed with gold and silver plates, and the roofing boards were made of pure silver. The columns in the temple of Ena were also golden. The city was sacked by Alexander the Great.
Former Ecbatana, and now Hamadan (pictured above) is considered one of the oldest cities not only in Iran, but throughout the world. It is still surrounded by green mountains. The beauty of nature and the centuries-old history attract many tourists.
Mussel Culture
In the 7th c. - the first half of the 6th century BC. e. the state of Media was the center of Iranian culture, which was later borrowed and developed by the Persians. Little is known about her. More recently, knowledge was limited only to surviving images on bas-reliefs from Assyria. The modest data obtained as a result of archaeological excavations make it possible to judge the architecture of the ancient state. So, German archaeologists excavated the Temple of Fire, 70 km from Hamadan, dating back to the 8th century. BC e. It has the shape of a rhombus. Inside, an altar 1.85 m high, consisting of four steps and a plinth, has been preserved.
Researchers of the Ancient World believe that the people who inhabited the ancient state were in many ways similar to the Persians, including the nature of customs. The men wore longbeards and hair. The Medes dressed in trousers and short boots (like the Persians) and long, loose robes with loose sleeves, tied with a belt, on which an akinak, a short sword, was attached. The infantrymen were armed with short spears and wicker shields covered with leather. The Medes had excellent cavalry. The king fought on a chariot, standing right in the center of the army. The armor, like that of many other Iranian peoples, was lamellar, they covered not only the riders, but also their horses.
Religion in Media
It's hard to imagine, but in Media (modern Iran on the world map) one of the oldest religions, Zoroastrianism, became widespread, and Islam came to these lands much later. It originates in the revelation of the prophet Spitama Zarathustra, whose teaching lays at the basis of everything a person's free moral choice of good words, thoughts and deeds. It is assumed that under the last Median king Astyages, Zoroastrianism acquired the status of a state religion. Today it has survived only in small communities in India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan.
In Media there was a cult of Ardvisur Anahita, the goddess of fertility. Her temple was located in the main city of the state.
Mussel Tongue
Among scientists, two views on the Median language have been formed. Some are absolutely sure of its existence, others deny it, believing that the ancient people spoke several dialects, which, together with Persian, make up a single language - Old Iranian. The argument in favor of the second version is the absence of the necessarydegrees of kinship among the descendants of Median: Kurdish, Tat, Talysh, Tati, etc. However, in any case, it can be assumed that the common language in Media was the dialect of the Ekbatan district. Probably, he was considered state.
Of course, there was also writing, but, unfortunately, its monuments were not found. Note that the cuneiform script used by the Persians is an adapted Urartian cuneiform script. She, in turn, could only get to them through the Medes.
The Fall of the State
How the state of Media ceased to exist around 550 BC. e.
The Median king Cyaxares, after the expulsion of the Scythians from the country, entered into a military alliance with Babylon against Assyria, which was sealed by the marriage of his granddaughter and the son of the Babylonian ruler. In 613 BC. e. the united army stormed and sacked Nineveh. The Assyrian Empire fell, and its ruins were divided among the allies. The Medes got the northern part. Further territorial wars shook the alliance's strength. As a result, the Babylonian king entered into an agreement with the young and ambitious ruler of conquered Persia, who in 553 BC. e. revolted against Median domination. The war lasted three years. The king of Media, according to Herodotus, was betrayed by his own commander. Ecbatana was sacked, and Cyrus from the Achaemenid dynasty became the ruler of the Persian Empire. The people of Media retained certain privileges in it, but from time to time they raised uprisings against excessive taxes.
BeforeToday, no written evidence has been preserved about the once existing ancient state, surrounded by the waters of the Caspian Sea and the Deshte Kevir desert, as well as about the Median society and its rulers. The cities of Media have never been excavated, and its capital, Ekbatana, has long been buried under the modern Iranian Hamadan. The descriptions of Herodotus are rather vague and in recent decades have been questioned by scientists more and more often.
