Median Empire (Medes)
The oldest expression of the Medes in historical sources is the Assyrian King III. It is found in the Shamaneser period. During this period, the Medes made an alliance with the Babylonians and defeated the Assyrians. The Medes, who ruled over the Iranian lands, ruled large lands from Anatolia to Afghanistan in the 6th century BC.
After being defeated by King Astyages, the grandfather of Cyrus the Great, in 550 BC, the empire continued to rule together with the Achaemenid Empire. However, after the conquest of the Achaemenid Empire by Alexander the Great in 330 BC, the Med region was left to the command of the Macedonian commander Peyton. The north of the region was left to the command of Atropat, the Achaemenid commander. After the death of Alexander the Great, the south of the region fell into the Seleucid Empire; the north was left to the independent state of Atropatena under the command of the commander Atropat. Medes; It is also known as Azerbaijani Midiya and Persian Madha.
The Medes laid the foundations of the Persian Empire with the authority they established on the Iranian lands. This accumulation lasted until the Persian Emperor Achaemenid's grandfather killed Astyages, the Shah of Med, and established the Persian Empire. Until the establishment of the empire, the Iranian lands were called Mede or Mada by the people of the region.
Cyrus, the nephew of Astiag, who was the king in the last period of the Medes, seized the country with a palace coup. Thus, the state and political authority passed into the hands of the Persian aristocracy, which was concentrated in the Southern part of the state. Because the Medes lived in Iran, they took the name of the city they lived in, namely Medya. Since the empire was founded in and around the Tigris basin, according to the general thoughts of historians, they are known as an efficient and productive society.
The Babylonians, one of the civilizations established after the Urartians and located in Mesopotamia and of Guti origin, united with the Med communities of Aryan origin and attacked the Assyrians. As a result of these attacks, the empire could not resist any longer and collapsed in 625 BC. The Babylonians entered a period of decline after this victory. But the rising Median Empire was a transition to the Achaemenid dynasty of Aryan-Persian origin.
The Six Med Tribes of Herodotus
The famous historian Herodotus mentions six Med clans in his historical resource. At the same time, Herodotus has repeatedly mentioned the similarities of the Medes with the Persians in terms of tradition and dress. He also mentioned that the Medes were of the Aryan race, they were Laz-Colchisians when they first came to Athens, but later changed their name to Medes. Even in Greek Mythology, Medea is known as the wife of Jason, the king of Laz-Colchis, and the sorceress of the Argonates.
Evidence for the Historical Existence of the Medes
Historically, not much is known about the origin and history of the Medes. In addition, there is neither an inscription nor a monument belonging to the Media, which is known as the place where civilization was founded. Although it has no historical value, Ctesias mentions the names of nine kings in his story. However, these names have been transferred from history to the present by changing and deriving.
But in the Torah, Josephus is associated with the Medes. Madai, son of Japheth, is mentioned in the Torah. For this reason, it is later believed by the Greeks that the empire was founded by Japheth's son Javan and Madai. This kingdom was called "media" by the Greeks. Historians such as Strabo, Herodotus, Polybius, Pliny and Protolomeus used names such as Martiane, Mantiane, Matiane, Matiene to name the northern parts of Media, known as the settlement of the Medes.
The Medes are first mentioned in the wars with Zagros in Amadai during the Assyrian period. The Assyrian conqueror III. Shalmaneser's successors organized many expeditions against the Medes. In these early periods, the Medes are the subject of history together with a steppe tribe in general. These tribes are Scythians. Scythians are mentioned in Assyrian sources with their belief in Zoroastrianism.
Known History of the Median Empire
-Pre-Elami Civilization (3200-2700 BC),
-Giroft Civilization (3000 BC-5th century),
-Elami Dynasties (2700-539 BC),
-Manna State (10-7 B.C.),
-Meds (Square)-(728-550 BC),
-Achaemenids (Persians)-(648-330 BC),
-Seleucus (Seleucids)-(330-150 BC),
-Arsacids (Parthians)-(250 BC-226) AD.
references:https://www.tarihiolaylar.com/tarihi-olaylar/med-imparatorlugu-medler-381