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[[eo:Hirkanio]]
[[Image:Gorgan.png|right|frame|<center>Map of Iran and surrounding countries, showing ___location of Gorgan</center>]]▼
'''Gorgan''' (گرگان); '''Hyrcania''' ; '''Hyrcana''' (Old Persian ''Varkâna'', 'land of wolves'; modern Persian ''Gorgan''): part of the ancient Persian empire, on the southern shores of the [[Caspian Sea]] (present day [[Golestan]], [[Mazandaran]], [[Gilan]] and parts of [[Turkmenistan]]). Parts of it have also been called [[Mazandaran|Taparistan]] (or its arabicized version, [[Mazandaran|Tabaristan]]) in history.
Today Gorgan
▲Today Gorgan (''Jorjan'' in Arabic) is the capital city of the [[Iran]]ian province of [[Golestan]]. It is approximately 400 km from [[Tehran]]. Some 150 km to east of Gorgan is the [[Golestan National Park]]. The Gorgan city has an airport and several universities such as the [[Gorgan University]], the [[Islamic Azad University of Gorgan]], [[Golestan University of Medical Sciences]], [[Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources]] and [[Gorgan University of Medical Sciences]].
Athough the modern-day Gorgan is only a county and its central city (both by the same name), the ancient Hyrcania or Varkâna was the name of that whole general region.
▲[[Image:Gorgan.png|right|frame|<center>Map of Iran and surrounding countries, showing ___location of Gorgan</center>]]
==History==▼
== Geography ==
The name "Hyrcania" is how it was recorded by the Greek historians, but the local name in Old Persian was ''Varkâna'' as it is recorded in [[Darius I of Persia|Darius the Great]]'s [[Behistun Inscription]], as well as other inscriptions in Old Persian in [[Cuneiform (script)|cuneiform]].▼
[[Image:Pistachio_trees_Maraveh_Tapeh.jpg|thumb|Pistachio trees , Dasht-e Gorgan & Gonbad]]
The wide Dasht-e Gorgan & Gonbad ,lies southeast of the Caspian Sea, bounded by the Caspian Sea in the west, high mountain ranges in the south and east and Iran-Turkmenistan border on the North. The proposed block is located North of the Town of Gorgan and is geographically bounded by 37o 00' 37o 30' latitdea and 54o-54o 30' longitude and covers an area of about 1,700 km
== Climate ==
In general, Golestan has a moderate and humid climate known as "the moderate Caspian climate". The effective factors behind such a climate are: [[Alborz]] mountain range, direction of the mountains, height of the area, neighborhood to the sea, vegetation surface, local winds, altitude and weather fronts. As a result of the above factors, three different climates exist in the region: plain moderate, mountainous, and semi-arid .
Gorgan valley has a semi-arid climate.The average annual temperature is 18.2 centigrade and the annual rainfal is 556mm.
▲==History==
[[Image:Gorgan wall1.jpg|thumb|The famous gorgan wall]]
▲The name "Hyrcania" is how it was recorded by the Greek historians, but the local name in Old Persian was ''Varkâna'' as it is recorded in [[Darius I of Persia|Darius the Great]]'s [[Behistun Inscription]], as well as other inscriptions in Old Persian in [[Cuneiform (script)|cuneiform]].
Hyrcania is situated between the Caspian Sea -which was called ''Hyrcanian Ocean'' in Antiquity- in the north and the [[Alborz]] mountains in the south and west. The country has a tropical climate and is very fertile; the Persians considered it one of 'the good lands and countries' which their supreme god Ahuramazda had created personally. To the northeast, Hyrcania is open to the Central-Asian steppe, where nomads have been living for centuries; on several occasions, they invaded the country.
Hyrcania became part of the Persian empire during the reign of king [[Cyrus the Great]] ([[559 BC|559]]-[[530 BC]]) or Cambyses ([[530 BC|530]]-[[522 BC]]). The satrap's capital was called ''Zadracarta'', and was possibly identical to modern ''Sârî'' in '''Mazandaran'''. There is no report about the conquest of Hyrcania, but from the Behistun inscription we know that it was Persian by [[522 BC|522]]. The story is as follows:
After the death of Cambyses, the Magian usurper Gaumâta, who did not belong to the Achaemenian dynasty, usurped the throne. The adherents of the Persian royal house, however, helped Darius to become king; he killed the usurper on [[September 29]], [[522 BC]]. Almost immediately, the subjects of the empire revolted. When Darius was suppressing these rebellions and stayed in Babylon, the Median leader Phraortes made his bid for power (December [[522 BC|522]]). His revolt soon spread to [[Armenia]], [[Assyria]], [[Parthia]] and Hyrcania.
However the Persian garrison in Parthia still held out. It was commanded by Darius' father Hystaspes. On [[March 8]], [[521 BC]], the Parthians and their allies, the Hyrcanians, attacked the Persian garrison, but they were defeated. Not much later, Darius was able to relieve his father. This was the first appearance in history of the Hyrcanians.
In the fifth century, the Greek researcher [[Herodotus]] of Halicarnassus mentions them several times in his Histories. He has a confused report on irrigation (3.117), which may be compared to the statement of the second-century historian Polybius that the Persians had built large irrigation works (World history 10.28.3). Herodotus also tells us that Hyrcanian soldiers were part of the large army which king [[Xerxes I]] ([[486 BC|486]]-[[465 BC|465]]) commanded against the Greeks in [[480 BC|480]]. The historian notes that they carried the same arms as the Persians.
It is possible -but not proven- that during the Persian period, a wall was built
▲It is possible -but not proven- that during the Persian period, a wall was built to defend Hyrcania against the nomads of the Central-Asian steppe. The ruins of the wall north of the river ''Gorgân'' that are visible today and are called 'wall of Alexander', were built later, but they probably replaced a Persian defense work.
In the confused years after the death of king [[Artaxerxes]] I [[Makrocheir]] ([[465 BC|465]]-[[424 BC|434]]), three of his sons succeeded to the throne: [[Xerxes II]], [[Sogdianus]] and [[Darius II of Persia|Darius II]]. The latter was satrap in Hyrcania and may have used troops from Hyrcania and the 'upper satrapies', that is '''Aria''', '''Parthia''', '''Arachosia''', '''Bactria''' and '''Sogdiana'''.
Hyrcania makes its reappearance in history when the Macedonian king [[Alexander the Great]] ([[336 BC|336]]-[[323 BC|323]]) invaded [[Asia]]. Hyrcanians are mentioned during the battle of Gaugamela ([[October 1]], [[331 BC|331]]), and in [[August]] [[329 BC|329]], when the last Persian king, [[Darius III of Persia|Darius III Codomannus]], was dead, many Persian noblemen fled to Hyrcania, where they surrendered to Alexander (a.o. Artabazus).
After Alexander's reign, his kingdom fell apart and Hyrcania became part of the new empire of the Seleucid rulers, a [[Macedonian-Greek]] dynasty. At the end of the [[3rd century BC]], northeastern nomads belonging to the tribe of the [[Parni]], invaded Parthia and Hyrcania. Although Parthia was forever lost to the [[Seleucids]], Hyrcania was in the last decade of the third century reconquered by [[Antiochus III the Great]] ([[223 BC|223]]-[[187 BC|187]]). After a generation, however, Hyrcania was lost again.
To the Parthians -the new name of the '''Parni'''- Hyrcania was an important part of the empire, situated between their Parthian territories and their homeland on the steppe. It is certain that the Parthian kings used a Hyrcanian town as their summer residence. They were also responsible for the 'wall of Alexander', which is 180 km long and has forty castles. Nonetheless, it was not an uncontested part of their empire; for example, it is known to have revolted in AD [[58]].
NB Present Gorgan was called Esterabad or Astarabad until 1937.
== Culture ==
[[Image:Gorgangirl_local_costume.jpg|thumb|Local costume, Gorgan]]
Gorgan has contributed to the rich literature, poetry and science of Iran and even world by celebrities such as [[Abdolqaher Gorgani]], [[Sayed Esmail Gorgani]], [[Mirdamad]] , [[Mirfenderski]], [[Asad Gorgani]] and [[Esmail Hosseini Gorgâni]].
== Handicrafts ==
[[Image:Gorgan_carpets.jpg|thumb|The origin pattern of
Gorgan carpets]]
Gorgan and in general Golestan province has a world famous carpet and rug industry.Made by Turkmans, is inherited from the ancient Persian city of Boxârâ ([[Buchara]]).Jajim carpets are the exclusives of this province.
== Attractions ==
*'''Gorgan Defense Wall:'''
Gorgân's Defense Wall(155 km long and 6 to 10 m wide) is one of the most outstanding and gigantic architectural monuments in Dashte Gorgan and Gonbad Steppes (Gorgan Plain) history.
This wall which is the largest defensive wall in the world after the Great Wall of China, starts from the Caspian coast, circles north of [[Gonbade Kavous]], continues towards northwest and vanishes behind Pishkamar Mountains.
A logistical archeological survey was conducted regarding the wall in 1999 due to problems in development projects specially during construction of the Golestan Dam, which irrigates all the areas covered by the wall.
At the point of the connection of the wall and the drainage canal from the dam, architects discovered the remains of the above wall.
At parts, this wall is 6 m wide and in other parts the width is 10 m, which proves that the thickness of the wall differs in various regions, according to the natural features and soil configuration.
Castles have been built at different distances. The longest distance between castles is 50 km and the shortest is 10 km.The 40 identified castles vary in dimension and shape but the majority are square fortresses.
Due to many difficulties in development and agricultural projects, archaeologists have been assigned to mark the boundary of the historical find by laying cement blocks.
The Gorgan Wall has been named Alexander Dam, Anushirvân Dam, Firuz Dam and Qazal Al'an in various historical texts.
Dr. Kiani who led the archeological team in 1971 believes that the wall was built during the [[Parthian]] Dynasty simultaneously with the construction of the [[Great Wall of China]] and it was restored during the [[Sassanid]] era (3-7th c. A.D.).
Gorgan has many traditional buildings, with tiled sloping roofs and wooden balconies such as :
*'''Friday Mosque:'''
Which dates back to [[Seljuk]] era.
== Universities ==
*[[Gorgan University]]
*[[Islamic Azad University of Gorgan]]
*[[Golestan University of Medical Sciences]]
*[[Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources]]
*[[Gorgan University of Medical Sciences]]
[[Category:Cities in Iran|Gorgan]]
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