TITLE:
Sasanian Adurbadagan and Modern Azerbaijan: Historical Roots and Development
AUTHORS:
Mahir Khalifa-Zadeh, Leyla Khalifazadeh
KEYWORDS:
Sasanian, Khosrow, Aturpatakan, Adurbadagan, Arran, Caucasus Albania, Azerbaijan, Caucasus
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Historical Studies,
Vol.12 No.2,
June
25,
2023
ABSTRACT: The article analyzes application of the name
Adurbadagan to both sides of modern Azerbaijan divided by the Araz river into
southern or Iranian and northern or the independent Republic of Azerbaijan. The
authors believe that name Azerbaijan roots to the Avestan words Azar or Atash.
As a historical and political term,
Azerbaijan originates from Achaemenids’ Aturpatakan (Atropatena)
evolving into the Sassanian Adurbadagan—a Zoroastrian center of the empire. Since late Antiquity, Adurbadagan’s
military and administrative functions were extended and applied by the
Sassanids to all lands in the north from the Aras River, up to Darband fortress
in the Caucasus. In the Islamic period, Adurbadagan evolved into Turkified form
of Azarbadajan or Azerbaijan, cementing the modern Azerbaijani Turks’ identity
in the south and north sides of the entire Azerbaijan divided by the Araxes.