Median Empire Middle-Eastern empires

the median empire, first iranian dynasty corresponding northeastern section of present-day iran, northern-khvarvarana , asuristan, , south , eastern anatolia. inhabitants, known medes, , neighbors, persians, spoke median languages closely related aryan (old persian). historians know little iranian culture under median dynasty, except zoroastrianism polytheistic religion practiced, , priestly caste called magi existed.

traditionally, creator of median kingdom 1 deioces, who, according herodotus, reigned 728 675 bce , founded median capital ecbatana(hâgmatâna or modern hamadan). attempts have been made associate daiaukku, local zagros king mentioned in cuneiform text 1 of captives deported assyria sargon ii in 714 bce, deioces of herodotus, such association highly unlikely. judge assyrian sources, no median kingdom such herodotus describes reign of deioces existed in 7th century bce; @ best, reporting median legend of founding of kingdom.

the medes gained control on lands in eastern anatolia had once been part of urartu , became embroiled in war lydians, dominant political power in western asia minor. in 585 bce, through mediation of babylonians, peace established between media , lydia, , halys (kizil) river fixed boundary between 2 kingdoms. new balance of power established in middle east among medes, lydians, babylonians, and, far south, egyptians.

at death, cyaxares controlled vast territories: of anatolia halys, whole of western iran eastward, perhaps far area of modern tehran, , of south-western iran, including fars. whether appropriate call these holdings kingdom debatable; 1 suspects authority on various peoples, iranian , non-iranian, occupied these territories exerted in form of confederation such implied ancient iranian royal title, king of kings.

astyages followed father, cyaxares, on median throne (585–550 bce). comparatively little known of reign. not alliance babylon, , there evidence suggest babylonia may have feared median power. latter, however, in no position threaten others, astyages himself under attack. indeed, astyages , medians overthrown rise power in iranian world of cyrus ii great