Sasanian Adurbadagan and Modern Azerbaijan: Historical Roots and Development

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.