MEDIA (Lat., from Gk. .1)Ina(a, from Mipos, .1b7dos, from ()Pers. Jidda, :11edc). In ancient times, the name of the northwestern part of Iran. bounded by the Caspian Sea on the north. by Persia on the south. by Parthia on the east, and by Assyria on the west. The northern por tion of the country is very mountainous; the south is it rich and fertile tract. Media at pres ent farms the Persian provinces of Azerbaijan. Alazanderan. and Irak-Ajemi, and the northern portion of Luristan.
The Medians were in language, religion, and manners very nearly allied to the Persians. After they had shaken off the yoke of the As syrians. their tribes united about B.C. 708 under Debwes, whom later Persian tradition seeks to identify with Kai Kohod. Doioces made Ecba tana (q.v.) his capital. lie was succeeded by his son Phraort es ( n.c. 647-1325). whose name has been brought into possible connect inn with the early history of Zonnasi.rianism. The King who followed was his son Cynxan•s, who reigned n.e. (See UvosAos 1.) This monarelt.in alliance with Nabopnlassa•. King of Babylon, overthrew the Assyrian Empire about me. 004, spread the terror of his arms as far as Egypt and the farthest bounds of As Minor, and van. ()Dished the brigand hordes of Scythia, who had extended their ravages to Syria. Ile was succeed ed by his son Astyages, in whom the later tradi tion apparently wrongly seeks to revognize the tyrant Azli-dahak, or Azhi•dahnka. of Babylon. \vbw was overt hrown by l'yrtis Persia now became the mistress instead of the vassal of Media: and from this time the two nations are spoken of as one people. After the death of
Alexander the Great (n.c. 323) the new por tion of Media became a separate kingdom. Media 1linor. and existed till the tiure of Augustus, the other portion. under the name of llcdia llajor, forming a part of the Syrian monarchy. Media was on several occasions separated from Persia. In n.e. 152 Mithridates 1. took Great Media the Syrians and an nexed it to the Pa Ft 11 in Ktnpfihe. and about n.e. 30 it had a king of its own. Artava8de8. against Mom \lark Antony made war. Under the Sassanian dynasty the• whole of 3Iedia was tinite.1 to Persia. It became. during the four teenth and fifteenth centuries. the strom.hold of the Tureoman tribes Kara koinlu, ur 'Black Sheep,' and .\k-KoinIn. or 'Mine sheep.' In earl% times the 114,14, were • warlike race, possessed of an enthusiastic love of independewc, and distinguished for their skill with the how. They were (.1.114,1%1 091 fill' I heir horseman ship, and it was front them that the l'ersians adopted this and other favorite exercises and ae quirements. Media played an important part in the early religious history of the East, when we consider that the Magi sprang from Media and Zoroaster probably arose there. although pit Of his activity is located in ])atria. Consult: Justi. Medische Reich." in Geiger and Kuhn, Grundriss der iranischen Philoloyit•(Stutt gart, 1897) ; liag,ozin, Media, Babylon, and Persia (New York, 1SSS).