TRIBAL UNITS AND ANCIENT STATES

IN THE TERRITORY OF AZERBAIJAN

 Plan

 The state of Mannea.

 Azerbaijan as part of the Median and Achamanid Empire.
 The state of Atropatena.
 Ancient Albania.
 References
 Azerbaijan History: in 7 volumes: Baku, Elm, 1998-2003
 Aliyev K., Aliyeva F. "Azerbaijan in ancient period", Baku, 1997
 Fazili A. "Atropatena IV-VII, BC", Baku, 1992
 Mammadova F. Historical geography and political history of Azerbaijan.
Baku, 1993.
 Yampolski Z.I. "Ancient Albania III-I centuries BC", Baku, 1962
 Aliyev I.G. "History of Midi", Baku, 1960
 Aliyev I.G. "Features of history of Atropaten", Baku, 1989
 Aliyev I.G. "Nagorno Karabakh: history, facts, event", Baku, 1989
 Aliyev KG. "Antic Caucasus Albania", Baku, 1992
 Qashqay S. "Manna State", Baku, 1992
 Ancient ethnic societies
 The historical lands of Azerbaijan are located in the region of the Caspian-Mediterranean Sea-
Iranian plateau, where most ancient civilizations emerged and developed. Ancient ethnic
societies, the predecessors of the Azeri nation, made a great contribution to the formation of
ancient cultural civilizations, established in the region, including the Shumer-Babil culture and
to political and military life as well as the history of ancient state establishments of the Near and
Middle East. This fact has been proven by scientific research, especially by way of
archeological excavations conducted in our country and other surrounding states. The people of
Azerbaijan have the most ancient traditions of state system establishment. Its historical age is
nearly 5 million years. The first state establishments or ethnic-political units appeared in the
Urmia Lake basin in late 4th-early 3rd millennium BC. The most ancient states established in that
area played a significant role in the military and political life of the whole region. Ancient
Shumer, Akkad and Ashshur states, established in Dejle and Ferat valleys and even the Hettite
state in the Minor Asia had close contact with each other then.
 The most ancient states of Azerbaijan were following active
foreign policies and successfully defended their lands from
foreign invaders. One of the ancient tribes of Azerbaijan - Quti
even defeated their strong neighbor-Akkad state and expanded
their borders to Iranian plateau and ruled these areas for nearly
one hundred years. Along with making use of the state
organization rules of Akkads and Shumers, whom they subdued,
they also spread the advanced state organization culture of
ancient Azerbaijan to these countries. Ancient state
organizations of Azerbaijan Lullubi and Kuti , that ruled the
territories beginning with the Urmiya lake sometimes covering
Dejle and Ferat valleys till Iran plateau played an important role
in the history of ancient state organization of the East.
 The local ethnoses

 Kutis, lullubis, sular, turukkis, mannas, albanians, utis,

kaspis, muks, qarqars, suvbis, udis, anariaks, girdimans,
sodeys, didurs, chilbs, lpins.
Tribes, tribe unions and states in the
territory of front Asia
 Arrived ethnoses
 Kimmer, skit, sak tribes, kadusi, tat, talish, Hun, khazars, sabirs, arabs,
sulduz-chobani, jalairi, jıghatay, kurgan, sukait, jorat, budat, oyrat, tatar,
dolan and onguts. According to scientific sources, the first Turkish state
established in the territory of South Azerrbaijan is Aratta. Information on
Aratta people was noted in Shumer epic. Events between the ruler of Aratta
Sukussiranna and the ruler of Shumer Merkar were reflected in that story.
 The state of Aratta was appeared in the first half of the III millennium BC.
Its lands had covered the south and south-eastern part of the Lake Urmia.
The modern Qazvin-Zanjan area was also within borders of Aratta. The
population of Aratta manufactured gold, lead, copper, mining stones and
precious stones and colored stones. They exported their goods to Shumer
state, which was dominated between two rivers – the Tigris and the
Euphrates.
 Shumer city-states
 In the second half of the III millennium BC Shumer city-states declined. In XXIV-XXII centuries,
they were subjugated to the rule of the state of Akkad. At that time, the state of Aratta ended its
existence. In the southern part of Lake Urmiya the union of lullubu (Lullubi) tribes was
established. Lullubis appeared on historical scene thanks to Su and Turukki tribes. The creation of
this tribal unity was realized on XXIII century BC. Lullubus were engaged in cattle-breeding and
irrigation. Likewise, Arattas they were also under strong influence of the Shumer culture. They
know cuneiform writing, and they had scholars that could contact Akkadians. The united Lullubu
state had been disintegrated in small parts at the II millennium BC. There were tribal unions in the
western and southern-western part of Lake Urmia in III millennium of BC. After second half of
same millennium they united as single state. Qutis had alliance with Shumers. But they resisted
sharply to the aggressive policy of Akkadians. The grandson of the ruler of the Akkad Sarqon
Naramsin (Naram-Suen) (2236-2201 BC) had increased the aggression against the tribes living in
Urmia region. The heads of the 70 tribes living there have established a united military alliance.
So, Akkadian army was defeated. Naramsin was killed under the leadership of the ruler of Qutis
Anridavazir and they forwarded to South Mesopotamia and seized the southern holy city of
Shumers Nippur. It is assumed that, after this incident Qutis again returned to their homes in the
South-eastern Anatolia and then conflicted with lullubis.

Front Asia in the 1st half of I millennium
 Quti (Kuti) state
 Quti state was a state formed from tribal unions. It united Turkic tribes like subar, turuk,
kuman, bars, bori, gargar, azer, zengi etc. Sources reported that qutis were driven out from
Mesopotamia at the end of XXIII century BC. Their power lasted 91 years 40 days. The
biggest feature of the Quti state was its governing on democratic basis. In neighboring
countries, the power passed from father to son but in qutis the power was elected at assembly,
at which “folk" elders and “folk” beks participated. The capital of Quti dynasty was present
Kirkuk (Arrapha). The names of some Quti elbek (rulers) mentioned in writings of Akkad:
Yarlaqab, Yarlaqas, Yarlaqan, Sarlaqab, Elulu (mesh), Inim-Abaqes (in Orkhon-Yenisei
monuments Kultigin was addressed as "Inim Kultigin"), Kurum, Tirikan. It is known that the
word "qut" in Turkish ethimology used in meaning of "dominion, success, life, spirit" and the
name of Avar (turk) ruler being in power in 553 was Kuti-Khan. There are a lot of arguments
from history proving Turkic origin of Qutis. There is information about lullubis in the
inscriptions of the ruler of Akkad Naramsin. The first written monuments belonged to self of
Lullubi rulers relate to the XXIII century BC. If the inscription belonged to King Anubanini,
carved in the rock at place called Sar-e Pol-e Zahab is taken as the basis, it becomes clear that
Lullubi lands stretched from the lake Urmiya till Basra (Kangar) Gulf.///
http://www.cais-soas.com/News/2006/August2006/09-08.htm site of the Center of Ancient
Iranian Studies!
 Tribes in the front Asia
 Sumer sources confirm that the native land of Khurris is the South Caucasus, regions around Lake Van and North Zagros.
Shumer sources name their areas as "Khurrum". Some historians relate Khurris to 4th biggest and cultural nation of the Asia
Minor along with Shumer, Akkadians and Elam in view of possession of writing and written sources at the end of III millennium.
From historical facts one can conclude that the state of Mitanni was created by Khurris. And it is certain that Mitannis are
descendants of the Turks. Even Lake Urmia was mentioned as Mantiana. It was also mentioned in the sources that Kassu people
lived around the Lake Urmiya. One of the most ancient nations of South Azerbaijan was Turks, and among 17 rules that united
against Naramsin was a ruler called Illusumel. The geographical area of living of Turukkis stretched from Lake Urmiya to
Zanjan. Turukkis acted on the historical scene at the same time of gutis and lullubis. The languages of tribes and other ethnos
assumed lived in lands of modern Azerbaijan during late of III millennium BC and early of II millennium BC were united in big
language groups named Zaqr-Elam, Zaqros, Kaspi, etc. Some scientists assume that Nah-Dagestani language group belonging to
northern–eastern Caucasian language group had affinity to Khurri and Urartu languages. Subars lived in the basin of Lake
Urmiya in III-II millennium. Subars took participation not only in formation of Azerbaijani people but many Turkic peoples.
Subars lived between rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and Semitic tribes came here later concentrated around the Akkad city state
and causes its strengthening. The king of Akkad Sarqon attacked in XXIV century BC region of Subars and driven out subars
from there. At the beginning of the II millennium BC, Assyrian power strengthened in Subar lands. Subars that subjected to
attacks of akkadians from north, khurris from north-east and Semitic–Assyrian tribes from south were divided into three
branches as western, middle, and eastern. Subars forwarded to west on the 38th parallel, mixed with peoples of those areas. On
the same direction some part of people settled in basin of Lake Urmia moved towards Siberia and Turkistan. The name of Siberia
is linked with subars. Subars remained in the Middle part settled in the upper part of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, west of
Lake Van and in settlements between present Bitlis and Diyarbakır. At that time, these areas were under power of Mitanni state
established by khurris. In XIII century when Mitanni state was collapsed subars had created their small khanates in Arme, Urmia,
Kulmeri, Turkhu and other parts. They united and established Subar kingdom to resist the Assyria and newly established Urartu
states. Subar state could preserve its independence till 673 BC.
 MANNEA
 One of the most ancient states of the East (X-IX c. BC) was Mannea. The name of
Manna was first mentioned in 843 BC in cuneiforms by the Assyrian czar
Salmanasar III, when the state of Manna was created in the territory to southeast
from the Urmia river uniting the districts Zamua, Gilzan, Alatte, Surikash,
Uishdish, Zikirtu and Andia. It had borders with Urartu, kingdom Assur, Elam,
Babilistan states. In sources it is seen clearly that Manna stretches from east of Lake
Urmia to the south-west of the Caspian Sea. The VIII c. BC was the prosperous
period of Manna, when it was headed by the czar Iranzu (740-719 BC) and his sons
Azea (718-716 BC) and Ullusunu (715-680 BC). The territory of the Manna
kingdom covered the current Nakhichevan (North Azerbaijan), eastern lands of the
Van river (Turkey) and the entire current Iranian Azerbaijan. The capital city was
Izirtu. Manna was making wars with varied success against Assyria, Urartu and
Media. The statehood collapsed in approximately 590 BC due to the capture by the
neighboring Media. Mannea are considered as heirs of qutti, lullu, turukki and
su (sub / subar) peoples. Ruler of Manna state was called as Yanzu. Board of
elders helped the King.
Manna in the 9-7th centuries B.C.
 Period of Rulers:

 approx. 829 -??? BC - Ualki (Udaki)

 approx. 740-719 BC - Iranzu
 approx. 718-716 BC - Aza
 approx. 716-680 BC - Ullusunu
 approx. 675-650 BC - Ahseri
 approx. 650-630 BC – Ualli
 Erisinni son of Uallî is the last recorded ruler of Mannea
 Ethnicity:

 The Manneans related linguistically to the Urartians and

the Hurrians of northern Mesopotamia. Urartian was
an ergative, agglutinative language, which belongs to neither
the Semitic nor the Indo-European families but to the Hurro-
Urartian family.
 Political History:
 The Mannean kingdom began to flourish around 850 BC. The Manneans were
mainly a settled people, practicing irrigation and breeding cattle and horses. The
capital was another fortified city, Izirtu (Zirta). By the 820s BC they had expanded
to become the first large state to occupy this region since the Gutians, later
followed by the unrelated Iranian peoples, the Medes and the Persians. By this time
they had a prominent aristocracy as a ruling class, who somewhat limited the power
of the king. Beginning around 800 BC, the region became contested ground
between Urartu, who built several forts on the territory of Mannea, and Assyria.
During open conflict between the two, ca. 750-730 BC, Mannea seized the
opportunity to enlarge its holdings. The Mannean kingdom reached the pinnacle of
its power during the reign of Iranzu (ca. 725-720 BC). Once Assyria had
established a permanent presence in Iran in 744 BC, Mannea was sandwiched
between Urartu in the north and Assyria in the south and west, and the powerful
neighbours' conflicts caused the kingdom’s political fragmentation.
 Mannea between Urartu and Assyria: my
enemy’s enemy is my friend
 In the second half of the 8th century BC, the relationship between Mannea and
Assyria was shaped by Mannea's rapport with its northern neighbour Urartu,
which sought to extend its influence into the southern Urmia basin and
therefore began to exert heavy pressure on Mannean holdings there.
When Tiglath-pileser III (744-727 BC) took control of Assyria, he must have
seemed an ideal ally and Iranzu king of Mannea became his vassal in 744 BC,
when the newly crowned Assyrian king campaigned in Iran and established
for the first time a permanent Assyrian presence on the eastern flank of
the Zaqros by creating two provinces there (Parsua and Bit-Hamban). Assyria
was now also Mannea’s southern neighbour. In the west, Mannea bordered the
Assyrian province of Mazamua (centred on the Shahrizor plain in the
province of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq) since the latter's creation in the 9th century
BC - the source of frequent reports on the eastern neighbour.
 The alliance with Mannea, the most powerful state in the region, guaranteed
protection for these new Assyrian provinces but from the start the relationship was
uneven: Assyria was in the stronger position and extracted annual tribute payments of
horses, cattle and sheep. Clearly, Iranzu was in dire need of Assyrian military aid
against Urartian expansionism. In 743 BC, the Assyrian army defeated the Urartian
forces and their western allies in Arpad in northern Syria: excellent news also for far-
away Mannea whose Assyrian partner had proven his mettle. Tiglath-pileser's
inscriptions, most prominently a stele erected in Iran during his second campaign
there, document a further personal encounter with Iranzu in 737 BC. The close
relationship between Mannea and Assyria continued into the reign of Sargon II (721-
705 BC). In 719 BC, Iranzu was still king of Mannea and a loyal Assyrian vassal. His
horses, especially the celebrated steeds from the eastern region of Mesu, were of
crucial importance for the Assyrian army: the dependence on horses from Iran only
decreased once Esarhaddon (681-669 BC) invaded Egypt and started to import horses
from there and Nubia. Until then, every horse from Mannea was very welcome:
 "A messenger of the Mannean (king) has come to me bringing a horse as the audience gift and
giving me the regards of the Mannean. I dressed him (in purple) and put a silver bracelet on his
arm."Two Mannean kingdoms: the secession of Zikirtu in 719 BC. But after a quarter of a
century firmly on the side of the Assyrian Empire, the political climate in Mannea changed:
Assyria was no longer universally seen as the saviour from the land-grabbing Urartian foe.
Mannea was now divided in its political allegiances, with some openly favouring an alliance
with Urartu. Mitatti, Iranzu's governor in Zikirtu, headed this faction. When Mittati openly
rebelled against Iranzu in 719 BC, the spread of the revolt was quelled thanks to heavy Assyrian
military aid. Yet Zikirtu nevertheless seceded from Mannea and became an independent state.
There were now two Mannean kingdoms: the Urartian ally Zikirtu with its capital city Parda
and the Assyrian vassal state Mannea with Izirtu as the royal seat. The political unity of the
region further disintegrated when the long-serving king Iranzu died shortly afterwards. His son
Aza ascended the throne with Assyria's blessing but his brother Ullusunu immediately contested
his claim, with much local backing as well as Urartian support, leading to open war between the
two factions. Aza died in battle and the kingship of Mannea fell to Ullusunu. By 716, the
Assyrian army had invaded the country and, in a universal display of political pragmatism,
Ullusunu formally submitted to Sargon who in turn proclaimed him king of Mannea. Urartu
quickly found another Mannean leader, Daiukku, to support and ensured his compliance by
taking his son hostage.
 Poor Daiukku paid the price when he and his family were captured and deported to Assyria
while the territory of the kingdom of Mannea was further reduced as Assyria now claimed
Daiukku's territory, with 22 fortresses, for itself. The southern Urmia region was torn by war at
the time, with frequent attacks by Mannean troops on Urartian cities and forts there and vice
versa. All the while the renegade Mittati ruled over Zikirtu, in open contempt of Assyria and
attempting to further his holdings by incursions into Mannean territory with Urartian military
aid. In 714 BC, the Assyrian army finally invaded Zikirtu and although Rusa of Urartu came
promptly to his ally Mitatti's aid, their joined forces suffered a terrible defeat at the battle of
Mount Wauš. But rather than returning Zikirtu to Ullusunu's kingdom, Sargon accepted Mitatti
as a vassal, resulting in a split with Urartu. A diplomatic relationship was established.
According to a letter from Sargon's representative at Zikirtu, Issar-šumu-iqiša, Mittati handed
over Urartian messengers to Sargon, no doubt a coup for Assyrian intelligence, and vouched to
supply the Assyrian army with badly needed horses; in spite of the fact that Mittati now found
himself in a vassal relationship, the animals were to be sold for good money, and despite
Mittati’s assurances, the Assyrian representative was very worried whether the business would
actually come together: although Mittati had just lost a battle he was certainly not beaten and
Assyria's hold over Zikirtu was far less certain than that over Mannea.
 According to one Assyrian inscription, the Cimmerians (Gimirru) originally went forth from their homeland
of Gamir or Uishdish on the shores of the Black Sea in "the midst of Mannai" around this time. The
Cimmerians first appear in the annals in the year 714 BC, when they apparently helped the Assyrians to defeat
Urartu. Urartu chose to submit to the Assyrians, and together the two defeated the Cimmerians and thus kept
them out of the Fertile Crescent. At any rate, the Cimmerians had again rebelled against Sargon by 705, and he
was killed whilst driving them out. By 679 they had instead migrated to the east and west of Mannae. The
Mannaeans are recorded as rebelling against Esarhaddon of Assyria in 676 BC, when they attempted to
interrupt the horse trade between Assyria and its colony of Parsuash. The 7th century BC saw Mannea's fate
much improved - at the expense of Urartu and Assyria, both of which it ultimately outlived. The king Ahsheri,
who ruled until the 650s BC, continued to enlarge the territory of Mannae, although paying tribute to Assyria.
However, Mannae suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Assyrians around 660 BC, and subsequently an
internal revolt broke out, continuing until Ahsheri's death. Also in the 7th century BC, Mannae was defeated by
the advancing Scythians, who had already raided Urartu and been repelled by the Assyrians. Somewhat later
(585 BC) destroying Mannae. This defeat contributed to the further break-up of the Mannaean kingdom. King
Ahsheri's successor, Ualli, as a vassal of Assyria, took the side of the Assyrians against
the Iranian Medes (Madai), who were at this point still based to the east along the southwest shore of
the Caspian Sea and revolting against Assyrian domination. The Medes and Persians were subjugated by
Assyria. However, the Neo Assyrian Empire which had dominated the region for three hundred years began to
unravel, consumed by civil war after the death of Ashurbanipal in 627 BC.
 According to the Babylonian Chronicles, Mannea came to Assyria’s aid at the first
confrontation with Nabopolassar of Babylon in 616 BC on the Middle Euphrates,
albeit without much success. The upheavals in Assyria allowed the Medes to free
themselves from Assyrian vassalage and make themselves the major power in ancient
Iran at the expense of the Persians, Manneans and the remnants of the
indigenous Elamites whose kingdom had been destroyed by the Assyrians. The Medes
kingdom conquered the remnants of Mannae in 616 BC and absorbed the populace.
 ATROPATENA
 Atropatena lands were within of Ahemenids (Haxamenesi) state borders. There were about 20 satrapy in
state and 10 of them consisted of Atropatena. Alexander the Great defeated Shah of Iran Darius III in 331
BC, put an end to the existence of the state of Ahemenids. Atropatena had gained the status of semi-
independent state, subject to Macedonians. After the conquest of the Achaemenid empire, Alexander of
Macedon entrusted numerous provinces to Iranian satraps, many of whom had administrative experience
under the earlier Persian kings. Modern scholarship has highlighted Alexander’s subsequent elimination
of Iranian governors and replacement of most with Macedonians or Greeks, explaining the retention
(holding, conservation) of a handful (a person who is very difficult to control) as the result of their
superior loyalty. This study differs by exploring the Iranian satraps’ agency in obtaining and preserving
authority under the new regime. It focuses on Oxydates and Atropates, the governors of the strategic
province of Media, and the reasons for the former’s removal and the latter’s long-term success. While
logistical and military support of Alexander was a prerequisite (required as a prior condition) for
survival, even more significant was the denunciation of rivals for military failures or disloyalty.
Oxydates probably succumbed to charges by fellow Iranian nobles, but Atropates orchestrated
complaints against the Macedonian generals in Media and profited greatly from their execution, winning
royal favor and an advantageous marriage alliance in Alexander’s court. The deaths of Hephaestion and
Alexander contributed to the reduction of Atropates’ satrapal position, but his skillful opportunism
culminated in the foundation of a new kingdom in the era of the Successors.
 Under the territorial dispensation arranged at Babylon after Alexander’s death in 323, the
satrapy of Media was divided into two parts, of which only Little Media (the northwestern
part) was left to Atropates while Great Media (the eastern part) was assigned to Pytho.
Eventually, Atropates refused allegiance to any of the Macedonian generals and made his
satrapy an independent kingdom. After that this part of Media was known to the Greeks as
Media Atropatene or simply Atropatene, like Parthian and Middle Persian Āturpātakān
(whence Armenian Atrpatakan), later Ādurbādagān, Pers. Āḏarbāyjān. Atropates founded a
dynasty that was to rule in Atropatene for several centuries. Far-seeing politician and famous
military leader Atropat led a major attack force of Ahameni put forward against Alexander.
These forces were mainly composed of military groups concentrated on the north and south of
Azerbaijan. After the Third Alexander acquainted with the commanding talent of Atropat
abandoned the idea of facing him and tried to approach to the Azeri leader. Thus, the invasions
of Macedonian Alexander bypassed Azerbaijan. Later Atropat even deepening rapprochement
with the Macedonian ruler, married one of his close relatives thus transforming Atropatena to
the first state independent of Greece Macedonia for the first time in the entire East. Initially,
the country was named the same way - Atropats Media.
 Atropatena became independent after Alexander’s death. The capital was the city of Ghazaka.
Modern name of Azerbaijan springs namely from Atropatena: Aderbatgan-Aderbaygan-
Azerbaijan. An author of Jami-at-tawarikh Rashiddadin together with Mohammed Hussein bin
Khalaf from Tabriz insist that Azerbaijan word is a Turkic word. In their opinion, Azer means
“high place”, and bayqan the “adults”. The territory of Atropatena stretched from the Araz river in
the north till the Bagistan province in the south, from the Urmia lake in the west till the Caspian
Sea in the east. Atropatena was considered one of the elite and rather developed states in regard of
trade. In the collision between the Rome Empire and Parthian kingdom, Atropatena was directly
an ally of Parthia. In 20 AD Atropatena became fully dependent on Parthia as one of its provinces
and lost its statehood. In 226 AD Sasanids ended the rule of Parthians. It is assumed that
Atropatena could protect its independence during Sassanids.
 Atropatena (in some sources Adurbadaqan) was one of provinces of the Sasanian Empire. Although it lost the
political independence in the IV-V centuries but its importance as religious and cultural center had increased.
The reason of it was location of main ateshgah (fire worship place) of Sassanids Adurqusnasp (Azergesesb) in
southern city of Shiz. Restoration of independent state traditions in Azerbaijan promoted big progress in all
spheres of economic and cultural life in the south regions of the country. The strong state Atropatena played a
great role in the international contacts of the whole region and maintained wide trade relations with the
Caucasus, Volga region, Central Asia, India, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, the basins of the Black Sea and
Mediterranean Sea.
 Parthian period
 The exact date of Atropatene’s incorporation in the Parthian empire is not known. Most
probably it occurred in the reign of Mithridates I (ca. 171-139/38 B.C.) when this Parthian great
king, taking advantage of the Seleucid empire’s weakness after the defeat of Antiochus III by
the Romans at Magnesia in 190 B.C., moved to extend his sway eastward and northward.
Presumably Media Atropatene became a vassal state under Parthian suzerainty at the same time
as the rest of Media. This must have been after 148 B.C. because the Seleucid rock-inscription
at Bīsotūn (Behistun) shows that there was then still a Seleucid governor of the “Upper
Satrapies,” which certainly included Media. It seems, however, that the small state of
Atropatene kept a good measure of autonomy. Descendants of Atropates are said to have
“married into the (Arsacid) royal house”.
 The next mention of Media Atropatene comes in reports that after the death of Mithridates II in 88-87
B.C., the Armenians succeeded in recovering lands which they had earlier lost to the Parthians. According
to Strabo and Plutarch, the Armenians occupied Atropatene at this time. Atropatene’s history in the
following years is confused. Dio Cassius states that a certain Mithridates, king of Media and son-in-law of
the Armenian king Tigranes (the Great), supported the latter when he went to war with the Romans and
invaded Cappadocia in 67 B.C. Quite possibly this Mithridates was the future Parthian monarch
Mithridates III, who together with his brother Orodes murdered their father Phraates III in 58-57. He has
been described, on the strength of Dio Cassius’s statement, as “king of Media Atropatene” in several works
by modern scholars, simply “king of Media”. In some sources, the Romans under Pompey are reported to
have attacked a certain Darius, king of Media, in 65 B.C. Here again this person has been described as
“ruler of Media Atropatene” by some modern writers, whereas in the sources only Media is given.
Acceptance of the supposition that he ruled Media Atropatene is also made difficult by the evidence of
other sources which speak of Artavasdes king of Atropatene, born in 59 B.C. or a little earlier, son of
Ariobarzanes, king of Atropatene. This suggests that the father had come to the throne some time before 59
B.C. If so, the time-scale would appear to preclude a reign of this Darius in Media Atropatene. The Greco-
Roman writers have left much more detailed and precise accounts of the expedition led by Mark Antony
against the Parthians in 36 B.C. Having obtained the support of the Armenian king Artavasdes, Antony
made Armenia his base for an invasion of Media Atropatene, whose identically named (and just
mentioned) king Artavasdes was an ally of the Parthians. As is well known, the Roman campaign was
bungled (ugursuz) and ended ignominiously (biabırcasına). After a Parthian attack which destroyed his
rearguard and siege-train, Antony had to abandon his siege of Atropatene’s capital city Phraata (in some
sources Praaspa or Phraaspa) and flee back to Armenia. It has not yet been possible to determine where
Phraata lay; the often mooted (- syn: raise, suggestion, mention) identification with Taḵt-e Solaymān
southeast of Lake Urmia where the German Archeological Institute conducted excavations in 1959 and
subsequently, remains unproven.
 Soon after the defeat of the Romans, so Plutarch and Dio Cassius state, enmity arose between Artavasdes of
Media Atropatene and Phraates, the Parthian great king, over the division of the spoils and the fears of
Artavasdes concerning his autonomy, with the result that the Median king offered Antony an alliance. The
offer was accepted in 33 B.C. It was very welcome to Antony who, in the belief that Artavasdes of Armenia
had left him down in his campaign, now planned a pincer (kıskac) movement against Armenia while also
cherishing hopes of Atropatenian support in his continuing war with the Parthians and impending contest
with Octavian. Troop detachments were exchanged and at the same time some Armenian territory,
consisting mainly of the Sambyke district which had earlier belonged to Atropatene, was ceded to the
Median ruler. To strengthen the bonds, a son of Antony was betrothed to Iotape, a daughter of Artavasdes.
The alliance at first proved advantageous to Artavasdes of Atropatene, who with the help of the Roman
reinforcements repulsed an offensive launched jointly by Artaxes, a son of Artavasdes of Armenia, and the
Parthians.
 These dealings indicate that not only Artavasdes, but also previous rulers of Media Atropatene,
were more or less independent of the Parthian great kings. No doubt the geography of this
relatively inaccessible mountain region facilitated the maintenance of its autonomy. Artavasdes,
however, could no longer hold out against the Parthians when Antony withdrew the Roman
detachment from Media because he needed the men for his war with Octavian. In 30 B.C.
Artavasdes was taken prisoner, but later he contrived (cope, manage)to escape, probably as a
result of the outbreak of civil war between Phraates IV and Tiridates, a rival claimant to the
Parthian throne. He took refuge with Octavian, now Augustus, who gave him a friendly
reception. He is reported to have died at Rome shortly before 20 B.C.
 Soon afterward, probably in 20 B.C., Augustus is said to have nominated Ariobarzanes II, the son of
Artavasdes, to be king of Media Atropatene. At some later date, Ariobarzanes was appointed king of
Armenia also. The actual induction of Ariobarzanes took place much later, namely in A.D. 9
following the accession of Vonones to the Parthian throne with Roman support. Ariobarzanes II was
succeeded, on the thrones of both Media Atropatene and Armenia, by his son Artavasdes
(Artavasdes II in the reckoning of Herzfeld. Not long afterward, according to M. L. Chaumont in
A.D. 19 or 20, this king was murdered. The event marks the virtual end of the rule of the dynasty
founded by Atropates over Media Atropatene. It may have been consequent on the negotiation of the
peace treaty of A.D. 18-19 between Germanicus, the Roman commander, and Artabanus II, the
Parthian monarch since A.D. 10-11. Peace with Rome evidently gave Artabanus a free hand to deal
with internal issues. Media Atropatene was one of a number of vassal kingdoms where the
indigenous dynasts were eliminated and replaced with Arsacid younger sons (basically agrees but
points out that the sources for the treaty contain no word of any Roman promise of non-intervention
in Media Atropatene). The later princes of the Atropatenian dynasty probably lived in exile in Italy.
Two inscriptions bearing the name Artavasdes which were found in Rome are probably epitaphs of
the son and grandson of an Atropatenian king Ariobarzanes, whether Ariobarzanes I or II being
uncertain.
 Information about Atropatene (Azerbaijan) is then lacking until the last years of
Parthian rule, when the conflict with Ardašīr, the founder of the Sasanian
dynasty, had already begun. Artabanus IV, the last Parthian great king, was
simultaneously engaged in a contest for the throne with his brother Vologases
VI. His supporters were strongest in Media (where his coins appear to have
been minted, probably at Ecbatana, the present-day Hamadān) and in
Azerbaijan, Ḵūzestān, and Adiabene .Widengren has found evidence, however,
that the common people of Media Atropatene were allies of Ardašīr. In any
case Azerbaijan submitted with little resistance to Ardašīr once he had defeated
and killed Artabanus in 226. The well-known Sasanian rock relief at Salmās,
not far from lake Urmia in which Ardašīr and others are depicted, is in
Widengren’s opinion quite possibly a monument to this success. The opinion of
W. Hinz that it commemorates Ardašīr’s conquest of Armenia seems less well
grounded.
 Sasanian period
 The next information given in the sources is that Šāpūr I, in the first year of his reign, i.e., 241-42,
conducted two campaigns, first against the Khwarazmians, then against the “Medes in the
mountains,” which evidently means in Azerbaijan. Thereafter Azerbaijan appears to have been
pacified (becalmed, conciliated), because no more campaigns against its inhabitants are reported
in the sources. Atropatene/Āturpātakān, as the province appears to have been officially named
throughout the Sasanian period, was governed on behalf of the Sasanian monarchs by a marzbān
(margrave) who had all the authority of a satrap. It was a religious center, the principal temple
being at Šīz, now Taḵt-e Solaymān. This was the hearth of Ādur Gušnasp, one of the empire’s
three most sacred fires. The name Šīz often appears in linkage with other names, particularly
Ganzaca (Ganzak) and Thebarmais, but the supposition that all refer to the same place is
questionable. As a result of the existence of this great fire-temple, so revered (honor, esteem,
respect) that every newly crowned Sasanian king had to walk all the way to it on foot, and of the
establishment of a royal palace in the province, Azerbaijan became a tightly integrated part of the
empire instead of a loosely (freely, easily) attached vassal state as in Parthian times. Herzfeld
thought that “personal names incorporating gušnasp, the name of the sacred fire of Ganzak, were
distinctively Atropatenian;” if so, this province produced many men of worth who held high office
in the four centuries of Sasanian rule .
Atropatena within state of the Sasani
 Azerbaijan reenters the historical scene at the end of the Sasanian period. In A.D. 590
the decisive battle in the contest for the throne between the usurper Bahrām Čōbīn
and Ḵosrow II was fought at Ganzak in Azerbaijan, ending in victory for Ḵosrow. In
628, on Easter day, the Byzantine emperor Heraclius captured Ganzak. Sasanian
authority then began to collapse. Azerbaijan fell to the Arabs between A.D. 639 and
643, and a new phase of its history began.

 ALBANIA
 In late IV - early III centuries BC, the state of Albania emerged in the territory of
current north Azerbaijan due to the collapse of the Ahamani Empire of Daria the III and
union of 26 Albanian tribes. The territory of Albania stretched from the Caucasian ridge
in the north till the Araz river in the south, from the Goyche lake in the west till the
Caspian Sea in the east. Capitals of the state were cities of Gabala (Gabalaka), and later
(since V century AD) Barda (Partav). Strabon described Albania as a laical (dunyevi)
state with high culture, advanced trade and skilful artisans. Ptolemy noted around 30 big
cities and settlements in Albania. Following the military march of Romans (late I AD)
commanded by Pompeii that reached Gobustan (shore of the Caspian Sea), Albania
entered into the reach of Rome. In the IV c. czar Urnayr officially adopted Christianity.
In the meantime, Albanian literature arose. Albanians were in constant wars since IV
BC - first against Alexander Macedon supporting Persia, later (since I BC) against
Rome, and at the beginning of the years of grace - against nomadic Huns. In 262
Albania became dependent on the Sasani Iran. However, in 493 at the time of Vachagan
the III, the country’s political independence was restored. Albania was considered the
most developed country in the Caucasus up to the Arabian invasions (IX century).
ALBANIA IN 3RD CENTURY B.C.
 There were 26 kins of the Albanian tribal union. Strabon wrote that "they get
hardly in contact with each other." Each of these tribes had their own language, but
because of the Turkic tribes were leading one, of course, in Caucasian Albania
Turkish was the general communication language. Albanian tribes settled in
medium and low flow of the River Kura, on the left bank. The right bank of the
river was inhabited by Kaspi tribe. Some scientists consider them Albanians, too.
But types of graves and ceremony of burying shows their ethnic difference. Diced
graves, monuments, tombs made of air-dried brick (tombs), ceramic-trough graves,
graves catacombs(part of the wall space is dig and a place for equipment with dead
is made and after bury the grave was closed by masonry), etc. give information
about the cultures of peoples lived once in Albania. Modern sources prove that the
Albanians took under their control 25 tribes that were outside of them. Although
the vast majority of them were relatives of Albanians, some part was different by
origin. There are confronting information among researchers that Albanians are
from sak kin or they were local inhabitants of lands inhabited by them.
 According to historical records, utis, the grandfathers of udins, that live in Gabala
region of Azerbaijan considered one of Albanian tribe lived in the area of Rivers
Alazan and Kura, legs in the upland area of Samur river, lupens in southern hills of
the Caucasus: qargars in the north of Caucasus (later in the plain areas of Garabagh).
 Rulers: Aranids dynasty -

 II century BC - Aran
 65 BC -? - Oroys
 36 BC-? - Zober
 Albanian Arshakids branch
 215-255 BC, I Vachaqan
 255-262 years - I Vache
 ? - Mirhavan
 ? - Satoy
 ? - Asay
 ? - Asvaqen
 ? - II Vache
 359-371 Urnayr
 493-510 III Vachagan
 Albania in antiquity
 The Albanians are mentioned for the first time at the battle of Gaugamela (331 B.C.), as
being in a contingent composed also of Medes, Cadusii, and Sacae, under the command of
Atropates, satrap of Media, and then in the guard attending Darius III. The fact that the
Albanians were under the leadership of the satrap of Media seems to indicate that this
people, like the Cadusii and the Sacae, had been incorporated into his satrapy; according to
one quite reasonable hypothesis, the Albanians would already have belonged to the Median
Empire. During the last few decades, excavations have revealed several indications of
Achaemenid influence, including bases of columns with palmette designs and cylinder
seals. Although Alexander never penetrated as far as the Caucasus, the Albanians must
have been included in the Macedonian Empire, since they belonged to the satrapy of
Media. In the partition of 321 B.C., after the death of Alexander, the territory governed by
Atropates was to be reduced to the part of Media in the northwest, later known as Media
Atropatena or Atropatena. Between 286 and 281 the Macedonian Patrocles, general and
admiral of Seleucus I and Antiochus I, undertook the circumnavigation of the Caspian Sea,
beginning, it would seem, with the Albanian and Cadusian coast. It was probably the first
time that the Albanians came into contact with the western world.
 The Albanian tribes
 The Albanian tribes, each of which had its own chief, spoke a multitude of dialects.
During the Hellenistic period they joined with other neighboring tribes to form a
unified state under a single ruler. It has been supposed that the unification took place
towards the end of the 2nd century B.C., by reason of the wars waged between the
Arsacid Mithridates II and Artavazd I, king of Armenia. There are grounds for believing
that the unification of the Albanians was a slow process which allowed the diversity of
languages to continue for a long time. In 65 B.C. the Roman general Pompey, who had
just subjugated Armenia and Iberia and had conquered Colchis, entered Albania at the
head of his army. Crossing the arid province of Cambysenē (Kambičan)—recently
seized from the Armenians by the Albanians—he turned in the direction of the Caspian
Sea. In fording the Alazan river, he clashed with the forces of Oroezes, king of Albania,
and eventually defeated them. Theophanes of Mitylene, who accompanied Pompey,
was to write an account of what he had observed and heard said in the course of that
campaign. Theophanes’ testimony formed the basis for Strabo’s discussion of Albania
and the Albanians.
 Theophanes’ testimony formed the basis for Strabo’s discussion of Albania and the Albanians. He described
the Albanians as semi-nomadic shepherds who were enthusiastic hunters, knew little about agriculture, used no
money, and practiced trading by barter. Though they were subject to one king, they spoke twenty-six
languages or dialects. They were not very warlike, but were able to field up to 60,000 foot-soldiers and 22,000
horsemen; their cavalry was clad in iron, a feature they may have borrowed from the Medes of Atropatena.
Strabo appears to have no knowledge of any city life in the Albania which he describes; not until the 1st
century A.D. does Pliny refer to Cabalaca (= Kabala), the capital of Albania, followed later by Ptolemy’s list of
twenty-nine cities of Albania, the most important being Gangara, Albana, and Ossika. Nevertheless recent
archeological discoveries have supplied proof that at the time of Pompey’s expedition towns already existed in
Albania, or were in the course of being developed. Excavations conducted at Chuhur-Kabala, the site of the
former Kabala, have yielded objects showing that relations existed with the Hellenistic world; a hoard of coins
dated from the 2nd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. Vestiges (remnant) of another city, Shemakha, the
Chemachia of Ptolemy, are found near modern Khynsla. A study of the archeological remains of ancient
Albanian cities, especially those of Kabala, has made it possible to observe features which also occur in the
town planning and architecture of the Parthians, such as the use of unbaked bricks of the same type, wooden
bases of columns, and buildings of great length. Coins affirm the existence of a certain amount of commercial
traffic with Parthia; a hoard of 321 coins discovered at the site of Shemakha includes 159 Parthian coins. An
important commercial highway linked eastern Albania with Ecbatana by way of the Araxes and the, a road
referred to by Aelian. Otherwise the use of money does not seem to have affected the barter system of the
primitive tribes.
 Revolts against Rome
 Like the Iberians, the Albanians were not slow to revolt against Rome; in A.D. 36 Antony
found himself obliged to send one of his lieutenants to bring an end to their rebellion.
Zober, who was then king of Albania, capitulated and Albania thus became, at least in
name, a Roman protectorate. A king of Albania appears in the list of dynasties whose
ambassadors were received by Augustus. In A.D. 35 King Pharasmanes of Iberia and his
brother Mithridates, with the support of Rome, confronted the Parthians in Armenia; the
Albanians proved effective allies, contributing to the defeat and temporary eviction of the
Parthians. Vespasian was determined to restore the authority of Rome in the Caucasus as far
as the Caspian. The presence of a detachment of the XII Fulminata at a distance of several
kilometers from the shores of that sea (69 km south of Baku) is attested by an inscription
drawn up between A.D. 83 and 93 in the reign of Domitian. Despite the growth of Roman
influence, Albania never ceased to remain in close commercial and probably also cultural
contact with Parthia. A hoard (stockpile, cache) discovered at ʿAlī Bahrāmī provides a good
illustration of the continuity of this relationship; the silver coins of the Parthian king
Gotarzes II (about A.D. 40-51) were widely distributed over Albania.
