MEDIAN

The Median Empire rose out of the Assyrian Empire [i], which had been undergoing turmoil beginning in the early 600s BCE. The second king of Media, Cyaxares [ii], allied with the Babylonian Empire [iii]to remove the Assyrian Empire from power completely. Cyaxares ruled the Median Empire cohesively for over forty years [iv]. The decline of the Median Kingdom began with the capture of Cyaxares’ son, Astyages, by Cyrus in 550 BCE. After this defeat, the Medes [v] fell under the control of the Persians and lost their autonomous empire. The Median Empire was in power on and off for over 156 years in Northwest Iran.

The Median Empire had many rivals, beginning with its inception in 700 BCE. They were partly under the control of the Assyrian Empire for their first fifty years; and to remove [vi] the Assyrian’s from power, the Medes allied with the Babylonians, who were also formally under Assyrian control. However, the alliance between these two empires was short lived and ended soon after it was formed. The Median Empire also often allied with neighboring regional nomadic [vii] groups. Another frequent rival was the Scythian Empire [viii], who dominated the region from 624-596 BCE. After Scythian domination, the Persians [ix] defeated the Medes in 549 BCE.

Many scholars believe the great monarchies of Iran began with the Median Empire. When Cyrus took control of the Medes, he created the Ecbatana [x], which became one of the major cities in the Persian Empire . The city of Ecbatana, which was once thought to be the capital of Media, is now a major archaeological site in western Iran [xi]. It is believed that Alexander the Great began his march to Hyrancia from Ecbatana. The extent of the city’s influence is not fully known, but it has brought historians and archaeologists to study its origins in-depth and has stimulated tourism in the area.

Before its foundation in 653 BCE, the ruling class was divided into four castes. The priestly class, chariot-driving nobles, herdsman, and artisans [xii]. The civilization’s townships were small, densely fortified areas for protection against Assyrian enemies. The leaders of the townships were kings who led the non-independent parts of Media. Before the decline of the Assyrian Empire, the Medes followed this system. Yet, when king Cyaxares came to power, they combined the six tribes of Media into a unified kingdom in 653 BCE. The kings were supported by their people, separate from the aristocracy, who were armed free peasants known as Kara [xiii].

The historical account of the Median Empire is mainly from Herodotus [xiv] Histories. Deioces is regarded as the first ruler of the Median Empire in 700 BCE, while the civilization was still under the control [xv] of the Assyrian Empire. The second ruler was Phaortes, who ruled from 647-629 BCE, until the Scythians took power in 624 to 597 BCE. Cyaxares ruled alongside the Scythians until expelling them in 597 BCE. After the expulsion of the Scythians, the Medes were free [xvi] from outside control for the first time ever. The Median Empire then came to an end under Astyages’ rule in 550 BCE.

After the fall of the Assyrian Empire, the Medes had to create a social, political, economic, and military structure that rivaled its neighbors quickly and effectively. Almost immediately following their victory over Assyria, the Medes created a political structure similar to that of Iran today [xvii]. The Assyrian Empire had a millennium to create a cohesive and strong society, which the Medes were able to accomplish overnight [xviii]. The Medes were also able to create one story adobe buildings with attached penthouses and small inner rooms. Ecbatana, the capital city, had seven colorful walls which surrounded a citadel type structure in the center [xix].

Little is known about the economic structure of the Median Empire, and most of what historians account for comes from sources about the Assyrian Empire. From archaeological evidence [xx], scholars have predicted that Median society was mainly based on a pastoral economy, with some reliance on agriculture. The agricultural techniques were most likely sedentary and based on cattle-breeding. Records from the Assyrian Empire show trade of cattle, horses, sheep, and camels came from trade with the Median Empire [xxi]. There is also evidence that the Medes traded gems, linen, and wool fabric, which nods to their craftsmanship and skills in creating handmade goods.