The ancient state of Media: the capital, the population. The Median language. History of Iran

The Median kingdom, formed once from a tribal alliance, 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 have spread widely. It existed in the period from 670 BC. E. To 550 BC. E., But in the years of its heyday extended much wider than the conventional ethnic boundaries.

Geographical location

Once a large ancient Oriental state, called Midia, is now located in the west ethnographic region, which is owned by Iran. On the map of the Ancient World it covered an impressive territory, which in the north was bordered by the Araks and Elbrus rivers, and in the west by the jails of the largest modern mountain chain Zagros. The southern part of the state of the Medes was confined to the Caspian Sea. To the east of the territory stretched the solonchak desert Deshte Kevir, now the central part of Iran.

The emergence of the state

The first mention of the Medes is found in the Assyrian chronicles of the second half of the 9th century. BC. E. In his writings, Herodotus calls the tribes who inhabited Media, the Aryans. Apparently, this was their self-designation. In the sacred writings of this ancient state it is about the "Land of the Aryans".

When it was the Iranian tribes from Central Asia who penetrated the territory of modern Iran, it is not known. Most historians tend to believe that this happened about 2000-1500 years BC. E. It is likely that originally a tribal alliance was formed of indigenous tribes belonging to a given locality. However, already in the 9th-8th centuries. BC. E. Begin to occur changes. They were associated with the arrival of new tribes. The state of Media in 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 state. These are original state-regions, among which the most significant is Mana. It was in the future that it became the economic and cultural center of Media. Thus, at a certain point in one territory there were tribal unions and state-regions. If you believe the records of Herodotus, then the person who unites them, that is, the founder of the state of Media is Deyoke.

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 testimony left by Herodotus, he had great authority among his fellow tribesmen, was distinguished by justice and, guided by it, resolved disputes on a variety of issues, while in the whole country lawlessness reigned. It was for this reason that he was elected a judge. All Medes knew about these qualities of Dejoka, so after the next meeting he was elected king. The first thing the ruler did was to unite the six tribes: mages, beads, struhat, arizatnov, buddi and parekaken. On his instructions, the ancient state found its capital in the form of the newly built city of Ekbatan.

Follow the kings of Media

About the periods of the reign of the Kings of Media, the ancient authors give a number of contradictory information. For a long time chronology was built on the works of Herodotus, considered the most reliable sources.

• Fravartish, or Fraort (about 647-625 BC) is the son of Deyok (the first king), who inherited power from him. Ambitious and warlike ruler, who went to war with the Persians and conquered them. Conquering and some other nations, in the end was defeated by the Assyrians.
• Uvahshatra, or Kiaksar (about 625-585 BC) - straight after the previous king. It was he who brought the army in order, dividing it by the types of weapons and functions. During the reign of Kiaksar, the invasion of the Scythians takes place and a second expedition to Assyria.
• Ishtuwegu, or Astyages (about 585-550 BC) is the son of Kiaksar and the last Median king. With him, Midia after the bloody three-year war was conquered by the Persians.

Median society

Currently, historians have insufficient number of archaeological and other data, which would allow to explore the social structure and the state structure of Media. In archaeological terms, it is poorly understood, and most sources (archives of cities) have not yet been excavated. However, there are suggestions that in the 9th-8th centuries, BC. E. The Medes lived in conditions of military democracy. In fact, this period represents a transition from the primitive communal system to the early slave system. 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 impact on the development of society, because it was quite a militant state. Media in the process of conquest wars with its "neighbors" has come into contact with the most ancient civilizations in the East. As a result, the share of slave labor, which was used not only in the tsarist economy, but also in temple complexes, in noble houses, began to increase in the western part of the country and then everywhere. Then, probably, there was an increase in the exploitation of the community members and, as a consequence, a deepening of class antagonism. This was one of the reasons for the weakening of the state and its accessibility for conquest by neighboring countries.

The capital of the state Midia

The capital of Media, the city of Ekbatan (now Hamadan) was located in a fertile valley. According to historians, it was founded about 3000 BC. E., Despite the fact that the Assyrian sources indicate 1100 BC. E. There were legends about Ecbatana's wealth. Ancient Greek historian Polybius in describing the royal palace mentions 7 stages in the circumference, the citadel and at the same time the total absence of walls near the city. All the wooden parts of the building were made of cypress and cedar, columns, beams and ceilings are lined with gold and silver plates, and the roofing boards are made of pure silver. The columns were golden in the temple of Hena. The city was looted by Alexander the Great.

The former Ecbatana, and now Hamadan (pictured above) is considered one of the oldest cities not only in Iran, but all over the world. It is still surrounded by green mountains. The beauty of nature and the centuries-old history attract many tourists.

Culture of the Mussel

In the 7th century. - the first half of the 6th century BC. E. The state of Media was the center of Iranian culture, which the Persians later adopted and developed. It is known about it a little. More recently, knowledge was limited only to preserved images on bas-reliefs from Assyria. Modest data, obtained as a result of archaeological excavations, allow us to judge about the architecture of the ancient state. Thus, German archeologists excavated the Temple of Fire, dated to the 8th century, 70 km from Hamadan. BC. E. It has the shape of a diamond. Inside, an altar of 1.85 m high, consisting of four steps and a socle, was preserved.

Researchers of the Ancient World believe that people who inhabited the ancient state, in many respects were similar to Persians, including by the nature of customs. The men wore long beards and hair. Dressed Medes in pants and short boots (like Persians) and long loose robes with loose sleeves tied with a belt on which akinak was fastened - a short sword. The infantrymen were armed with short spears and wicker shields, covered with leather. The Medes had excellent cavalry. The king fought in a chariot, standing right in the center of the army. Armor, like many other Iranian peoples, was lamellar, they covered not only the riders, but also their horses.

Religion in the Media

It is difficult to imagine, but in Media (modern Iran on the world map) one of the oldest religions - Zoroastrianism - spread widely, and Islam came to these lands much later. It originates in the revelation of the prophet Spitama Zarathustra, whose teachings are based on the free moral choice by man of good words, thoughts and deeds. It is assumed that under the last Median king Astyages, Zoroastrianism acquired the status of state religion. Nowadays it is preserved only in small communities of India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan.

In Media, there was a cult of Ardvisur Anahita, the goddess of fertility. In the main city of the state was its temple.

Language of the Mussel

In the scientific community, two views on the Median language were formed. Some are absolutely sure of its existence, others - they deny, considering that the ancient people spoke several dialects, which together with the Persian make up a single language - Old Iranian. The argument in favor of the second version is the lack of the necessary degree of kinship among the descendants of the Median: Kurdish, Tat, Talysh, Tati, etc. However, in any case, it can be assumed that the Dialect of Ekbatan District was the common language in Media. Probably, it was considered state.

Undoubtedly, there was also a written language, but, unfortunately, its monuments were not found. Note that the cuneiform letter used by the Persians is adapted Urartian cuneiform writing. She, in turn, could get to them only through the Medes.

The fall of the state

As the state of Midia ceased to exist in about 550 BC. E.

The Median king of Kiaksar, after expelling the Scythians from the country, concluded a military alliance with Babylon against Assyria, which was sealed by the marriage of his granddaughter and the son of a Babylonian ruler. In 613 BC. E. The united army took by storm and plundered Nineveh. The Assyrian empire fell, and its fragments were divided among the allies. Midians got the northern part. Further territorial wars shook the fortress of the union. As a result, the Babylonian king concluded an agreement with the young and ambitious ruler of conquered Persia, who in 553 BC. E. Raised an uprising against the Median rule. The war lasted three years. The king of Media, according to Herodotus, was betrayed by his own military commander. Ecbatana was plundered, and Cyrus of the Achaemenid dynasty became ruler of the Persian Empire. The people of Media remained in it certain privileges, but from time to time raised uprisings directed against too large taxes.

Until now, there is no written evidence of a once ancient state, surrounded by the waters of the Caspian Sea and Deshte Kevir Desert, as well as the Median society and its rulers. Excavations of the cities of Media were never conducted, and its capital, Ecbatana, was long buried under the modern Iranian Hamadan. The descriptions of Herodotus are rather vague and in the last decades scientists have questioned it increasingly.