Amardi Explained
The Amardians, widely referred to as the Amardi (and sometimes Mardi), were an ancient Iranian[1] tribe living along the mountainous region bordering the Caspian Sea to the north,[2] to whom the Iron Age culture at Marlik is attributed.[3] They are said to be related to, or the same tribe as, the Dahae and Sacae. That is to say, they were Scythian.[4] Herodotus mentions a tribe with a similar name as one of the ten to fifteen Persian tribes in Persis.[1] [5]
They lived in the valleys in between the Susis and Persis,[6] in what is now southwestern Iran. The southern Mardi are described by Nearchus as one of the four predatory mountain peoples of the southwest, along with the Susians, Uxii, and Elymaeans.[7] Of these four nomadic groups, they were the only tribe linguistically Iranian.[8]
Etymology
The term Mardi comes from the Old Iranian word for "man" (Persian, Old (ca.600-400 B.C.);: [[wikt:#Old_Persian|]] ; from Proto-Indo-European
, "mortal").
Richard N. Frye believe that the name of the city of Amol is rooted in the word Amard, which occurs as Amui in Middle Persian.[9] According to historical literature, Amol was the capital of Tapuria (modern-day Mazanderan), at least in the period starting from the Sasanian Empire to the Ilkhanate of the Mongol Empire.
Historical accounts
Strabo mentions the name Mardi several times. He places their location to the south of the Caspian Sea in what is now Gilan and Mazanderan, in northern Iran.[3] [7] On his map, he mentions (and the Amardos river), the name attributed to the region of Sefidrud at the time.[3] [10]
Herodotus mentions a tribe with a similar name as one of the ten to fifteen Persian tribes in Persis.[1] They lived in the valleys in between the Susis and Persis,[11] in what in now southwestern Iran. The southern Mardi are described by Nearchus as one of the four predatory mountain peoples of the southwest, along with the Susians, Uxii, and Elymaeans.[7] Of these four nomadic groups, they were the only tribe linguistically Iranian.[12]
See also
Further reading
Notes and References
- Encyclopedia: IRAN . v. PEOPLES OF IRAN (2) Pre-Islamic . July 20, 2017 . XIII . Encyclopædia Iranica.
- Book: Compact Bible atlas with gazetteer . Baker Book House . 1979 . 7. 9780801024320. Google Books .
- Book: Smith, William . Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography . 1 . Little, Brown & Company . 1854. Google Books.
- Book: Indo-iranica . 1947 . Iran Society . 21 . 2. Google Books.
- Book: Marlik: The Complete Excavation Report . 1995 . UPenn Museum of Archaeology . 321 . Negahban, Ezat O.. 9780924171321 .
- Book: Norris, Edwin. Memoir on the Scythic Version of the Behistun Inscription. 1853. Harrison and Sons. en.
- Book: Encyclopaedia Iranica . Routledge & Kegan Paul . 2004 . 13 . 336. Encyclopædia Iranica--> . 9780933273955 . May 21, 2020.
- Book: Eadie, John. Early Oriental History, Comprising the Histories of Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Lydia, Phrygia, and Phoenicia. 1852. Griffin. 9780848207410. en.
- Encyclopedia: . CASPIANS . July 20, 2017 . V . 62.
- Web site: IRAN v. PEOPLES OF IRAN (2) Pre-Islamic – Encyclopaedia Iranica. electricpulp.com. www.iranicaonline.org. en. 2017-08-07.
- Book: Richard N. Frye . Ancient Central Asian History Notes . Proceedings of the Second European Congress of Iranian Studies . ISMEO . Rome . 188 . town of Amul on the Amu Darya and the Amul in Mazanderan, Iran, both of which may be traced back to the migration of an Iranian tribe called Amardi or Mardi.
- Encyclopedia: GĪLĀN . iv. History in the Early Islamic Period . X . 634–635 . July 20, 2017 . Encyclopædia Iranica.
- Book: A history of all nations from the earliest times . 1905 . Wright, John Henry . Lea Brothers.
- Book: Eadie, John. Early Oriental History, Comprising the Histories of Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Lydia, Phrygia, and Phoenicia. 276. mardi.. 1852. Griffin. en.
- Web site: IRAN v. PEOPLES OF IRAN (2) Pre-Islamic – Encyclopaedia Iranica. electricpulp.com. www.iranicaonline.org. en. 2017-08-07.
