Caucasian Albania: Map & History
Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus, mostly overlapping the region of present-day Azerbaijan.
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Caucasian Albania is a modern exonym for a former state located in ancient times in the Caucasus, mostly overlapping the region of present-day Azerbaijan. The modern endonyms for the area are Aghwank and Aluank, among the Udi people, who regard themselves as descended from the inhabitants of Caucasian Albania. However, its original endonym is unknown.
Modern Countries Once Part of Caucasian Albania
At its mapped extent, Caucasian Albania covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Caucasian Albania's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Caucasian Albania in Depth
History
According to one hypothesis, Caucasian Albania was incorporated in the Median empire, as early as the 7th or 6th century BC. However, an increasing Persian influence on the region is usually believed to be connected with the defence of Persia's northern frontiers, from invading nomads. As early as the Achaemenid Empire, measures may have been taken to fortify the Caucasian passes. By the mid-6th century BC, Albania has been incorporated in the Achaemenid Empire; it was later controlled by the Achaemenid satrapy of Media. The building of fortifications and gates in and around Darband is traditionally ascribed to the Sassanid Empire.
Geography
In pre-Islamic times, Caucasian Albania/Arran was a wider concept than that of post-Islamic Arran. Ancient Arran covered all of eastern Transcaucasia, which included most of the territory of the modern-day Azerbaijan Republic and part of the territory of Dagestan. However, in post-Islamic times the geographic notion of Arran reduced to the territory between the Kura and Aras rivers.
Ancient Caucasian Albania lay on the south-eastern part of the Greater Caucasus mountains. It was bounded by Caucasian Iberia (present-day Georgia) to the west, by Sarmatia to the north, by the Caspian Sea to the east, and by the provinces of Artsakh and Utik in Armenia to the west along the Kura river.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Caucasian Albania (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Caucasian Albania: Key Facts
| Capitals | Kabalaka, Partav |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Caucasian Albanian, Classical Armenian, Parthian, Middle Persian |
| Religions | paganism, Early Christianity |
| Form of government | absolute monarchy |
| Founded | 1st century BCE |
| Dissolved | 461 CE |
Facts from Wikidata Q177076 (CC0).
Caucasian Albania Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Caucasian Albania appears, with the other states of the time.
Caucasian Albania Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 75,001 km² in 504 CE.
Caucasian Albania: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Caucasian Albania exist?
Caucasian Albania is dated to 63 BCE – 509 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Caucasian Albania?
The capital of Caucasian Albania was Kabalak (Qabala); Partaw (Barda).
How large was Caucasian Albania at its peak?
At its peak in 504 AD Caucasian Albania covered about 75,001 km².
How did the map of Caucasian Albania change over time?
Caucasian Albania appears on 6 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1 CE to 500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.