Hyrcania

Hyrcania is a historical region associated with the Caspian Sea basin, mentioned in ancient sources as a geography inhabited by various tribes. The region is mentioned in the works of classical historians describing the Persian-Macedonian struggle, particularly with its warlike native tribes living in its mountainous parts.

Tribes in Ancient Sources

The most prominent inhabitants of the region in ancient sources are the Mardians (Mards/Amardians) and the Cossaeans. Diodorus Siculus, in his work Bibliotheke Historike, refers to the Mardians and Cossaeans, mentioning these tribes in the Hyrcania region; he states that the Mardian tribe was settled in the south and southwest of the region and, along with the Cossaeans, was hostile to the Macedonians/Alexander the Great's army (Cilt 1, s. 29). Diodorus also records that the Mardians and Cossaeans, who stood out for their courage and warlike nature compared to other native elements, gained an advantage in a battle against the Macedonians (17.59.1-5). Again in the same work, it is recounted that Alexander the Great's army, encountering Mardi units serving in the army of the Persian king Darius III, drove them towards the remote parts of the mountains (Cilt 1, s. 29).

Strabo, on the other hand, is the first source to mention the Mards/Amardians in connection with a specific geography. Strabo describes this group as a Persian tribe and associates the Mardians with the Hyrcania region along with the Anariacae (11.6.1-2). In the continuation of the same section, he mentions the Amardians living on the borders of the Media and Armenia mountains; along with tribes such as the Gelae, Cadusii, Vitii, and Anariake (11.6.4-7) (Cilt 1, s. 31).

Life of the Mardians

The Mardians are described as a group that had made the mountains their refuge and stood out for their warlike nature. Curtius writes that Alexander the Great attacked the Mards after advancing into the interior of Persia; he also provides details about the daily life of the Mards. According to this, the Mards had a completely different culture from the Persians: they lived in artificial caves in the mountains for shelter, fed mostly on meat, and their women walked with their hair uncovered (Cilt 1, s. 46). Curtius also states that Persians, Mards, and Sogdians were present in the Persian army, and that inhabitants of the Cossea mountains were also part of Darius III's army (4.12.7; 4.12.10-11) (Cilt 1, s. 46).

Military Conflicts

Diodorus Siculus states that when Alexander the Great moved against the Hyrcania region, various Iranian tribes were present along with the Persian king Darius III (Cilt 1, s. 28). Curtius, on the other hand, writes that after Alexander the Great's invasion of Persia, only the Mardian tribe, living on the borders of Hyrcania and subsisting on plunder, failed to establish diplomatic contact with Alexander, and conflicts subsequently occurred between the two sides (Cilt 1, s. 46). Another record concerning the military presence of Mardian warriors is that Mardian archers were deployed alongside an Iberian spear unit in the army of Tigranes, who crossed the Murat River (Arsania) and fought against the Roman army (31.5) (Cilt 1, s. 33).