#ECBATANA

[whencyclopedia]

Medes

The Medes or Medians were a group of Indo-Iranian-speaking people from central Asia who migrated westwards and entered northern Iran around the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. They settled in the highlands of Zagros (Zagreus in Greek) and, by the end of the 7th century BCE, founded the kingdom of Media (Mada in Old Persian).

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[whencyclopedes]

Medos

Los medos, o habitantes de Media, eran un grupo de pueblos de habla indoirania de Asia Central que migraron hacia el este y entraron al norte de Irán hacia fines del segundo milenio a.C. Se asentaron en las tierras altas de Zagros (Zagreus en griego) y, para fines del siglo VII a.C., fundaron el reino de Media (Mada en persa antiguo).

Sigue leyendo...

[ernestdescalsartwok]

CATAFRACTOS-ARTE-PINTURA-ACUARELAS-CABALLOS-ACORAZADOS-HIERRO-CABALLERIA-IMPERIO PERSA-PINTOR-ERNEST DESCALS por Ernest Descals Por Flickr: CATAFRACTOS-ARTE-PINTURA-ACUARELAS-CABALLOS-ACORAZADOS-HIERRO-CABALLERIA-IMPERIO PERSA-PINTOR-ERNEST DESCALS- La Caballería del Imperio Persa tenía algunas unidades de CATAFRACTOS en periodo experimental, cuando llegó ALEJANDRO MAGNO los destinó en retaguardia por su lentitud, básicamente en Susa y Ecbatana, estos caballeros blindados y sus caballos acorazados con planchas de hierro no le servían para el muy veloz Ejército Macedonio, más que nada tenían una función decorativa y de intimidación. Pintura del artista pintor Ernest Descals con acuarelas sobre papel de 27 x 35 centímetros, sumando obras en la Colección de Arte dedicada al Rey conquistador de Macedonia.

[whencyclopedfr]

Mèdes

Les Mèdes étaient un groupe de personnes de langue indo-iranienne originaires d'Asie centrale qui migrèrent vers l'ouest et pénétrèrent dans le nord de l'Iran vers la fin du deuxième millénaire avant notre ère. Ils s'installèrent sur les hauts plateaux du Zagros (Zagreus en grec) et, à la fin du VIIe si��cle avant notre ère, fondèrent le royaume de Médie (Mada en vieux-persan).

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[innerchorus]

Dark clouds approaching Ecbatana from the direction of Mount Damavand...

Mount Damavand itself, as pictured in Chapter 34. Note the lightning bolts that are also seen in the above left image from Chapter 132.

I'm reminded of the title of the 10th novel: 'A Gathering of Clouds.' Maybe that's a future chapter title? But what I really want to know is whether those clouds contain any winged apes. Or is Zahhak himself almost here?

[llitchilitchi]

there's a pile of books, fiction and non-fiction alike, piled on my desk and bookshelves that I really need to get to, not to mention the absolute hell that these coming 2 months are going to be school-and-work-wise, but I really really want to go back and re-read the alexander trilogy (especially fire from heaven)

there's something incredibly fable-like to renault's writing in that novel and her depiction of the events and characters that I really vibe with and struggle putting into words

[bobemajses]

Esther, wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus, and her cousin Mordechai saved the lives of thousands of Jews in Susa from the intrigues of the king’s chief commander, Haman, as described in the biblical book of Esther, and is enacted every Purim in all the Jewish communities of the world. Ecbatana, the former capital of the Medes, and in our times Hamadan, was the summer residence of the Persian kings, to which Esther and Mordechai are said to have retired from the court after the death of Ahasuerus. Here they were buried in a common tomb, which is still the most important Jewish pilgrimage site in Iran.

We do not know how the original tomb looked. The modern building was constructed in 1602, in the time of Shah Abbas the Great. It follows with its double inner space, burial chamber, community room, and the dome crowning the tomb, the type of the Shiite pilgrimage sites erected for the emamzâdehs, the descendants of the holy Imams. As the first picture above shows, in the early 19th century it still stood outside of the city, but by the end of the century the local bazaar flowed around it. Thousands of Jews from Iran and other countries visited this place every year, covering a grueling trip to the desert surrounding Hamadan on foot or with caravan. According to contemporary travelogues, one could approach the tomb only with a local, through a maze of doorways and inner courtyards, with the way to the sarcophagi leading through a small rose garden and an ornate gate.

[ineffableclassics]

Based on the biblical Book of Tobit from the Apocrypha.

Ephesus, 400 B.C. Commanded away from Aziraphale's side by an infernal master, Crowley is forced to use his time-stopping powers for Asmodeus' dirty work while Aziraphale is left wondering why Crowley has disappeared. As Crowley sinks ever deeper into despair, Aziraphale is sent on a journey accompanying a human from Nineveh to Ecbatana.

Of course, mistakes were made...

Words: 49,175

Status: Complete

Rating: Mature

@evilasiangenius

[aziraphales-library]

Hi! I'm looking for fics set in ancient history, preferably including extensive descriptions of the ancient cultures. I don't mind NSFW, but mainly I'm looking for a good story and interesting plot. The longer the fic, the better!

If it helps, I really enjoyed "Do You Know What Eternity Is?" by Elderly_Worm and the "Mistakes Were Made" series by eag

Thanks! 💕

Hello. You can check our #through the ages tag for fics. Here are some more to add that feature different cultures...

Camel-travel star-gazing by Sad_Wet_Bretzel (G)

Crowley had tilted his head back. His eyes were still covered by dark lenses and Aziraphale wished he would just take them off. It was night, and the nearest human was twenty metres away, their back turned to them. “See that one?” the demon said suddenly, pointing eastward. “S’ one of my favourites.” or Aziraphale and Crowley are assigned to the same caravan, travelling from the Ghana Empire to the Mediterranean Sea across the Saharan plains. The perfect cover to innocently spend time together.

some chocolate to sweeten the deal by Enelica, sevdrag (G)

“Heathens.” Crowley snorts. “Did you know they’ve already discovered four of the planets? Lot of work went into those, let me tell you, and these clever bastards have spotted four of them already. Britannia should weep.” Aziraphale’s smile softens in pleasure. The angel’s too soft over humanity, and unfortunately, it’s one of the things Crowley likes best about him. “Did you know they’re only eight hundred and ninety years off calculating when the earth began?” The angel glances away, and Crowley has to cover a sharp breath at Aziraphale’s profile, pale and happy. “That’s the closest anyone’s gotten, I believe.” (Written for the Days Of Their Lives zine with incredible art by Enelica!)

we'll get there fast, and then we'll take it slow by in_deepest_blue (T)

"Hurry over like a horse, but take your time like an ox laden with treasures." One summer in late 19th-century Japan, Aziraphale learns about a fascinating tradition during Obon, the festival to honor the deceased, which reminds him of his hopes for a future with Crowley. A look into four different stages in Aziraphale and Crowley's relationship, all set in Japan during different seasons and time periods.

A Juhannus Night's Dream by kittygirl2210 (G)

Aziraphale is sent up to Finland to bless a Midsummer festival, Crowley goes with her on her own "assignment". The pair thus get roped into helping with the celebrations. Aziraphale and Crowley are fem presenting in this, and it takes place between Edinburgh and St. James' Park! (Note: contains some Finnish Fem!Aziracrow art!)

The snake of healing by Sad_Wet_Bretzel (G)

Aziraphale stared at Crowley, who stared back. The angel looked the same, if a little travel worn. His river coloured eyes crinkled slightly at the sides as he took in his friend’s appearance. Crowley tightened her trembling fists, nails digging into the skin. or After a particularly nasty punishment from Hell, Crowley retreats in the Chicama Valley and becomes an artisan. Aziraphale comes to find her.

Mistakes Were Made: The Book of Crowley by eag (M)

Based on the biblical Book of Tobit from the Apocrypha. Ephesus, 400 B.C. Commanded away from Aziraphale's side by an infernal master, Crowley is forced to use his time-stopping powers for Asmodeus' dirty work while Aziraphale is left wondering why Crowley has disappeared. As Crowley sinks ever deeper into despair, Aziraphale is sent on a journey accompanying a human from Nineveh to Ecbatana. Of course, mistakes were made...

- Mod D

[paganimagevault]

Gold clasp of eagle, possibly belonging to the House of Karen, 1st-2nd C. CE. Found in Nahavand. The House of Karen seems to have been descended from the Parni, who were themselves an offshoot of the Scythians. Ernst Herzfeld wrote that this item probably belonged to their house.

"House of Karen (Middle Persian: Kārēn; Parthian: 𐭊𐭓𐭍𐭉, romanized: Kārēn; Persian: کارن, romanized: Kārin or Kāren), also known as Karen-Pahlav (Kārēn-Pahlaw) was one of the Seven Great Houses of Iran during the rule of Parthian and Sassanian Empires. The seat of the dynasty was at Nahavand, about 65 km south of Ecbatana (present-day Hamadan, Iran). Members of House of Karen were of notable rank in the administrative structure of the Sassanian empire in multiple periods of its four century-long history.

The Karens, Karan-Vands, Qarinvand dynasty or Karen-Pahlevi as they are also called, claimed descent from Karen, a figure of folklore and son of the equally mythical Kaveh the Blacksmith. Their historical origin however may be that the Karens, along with the House of Mihran, were descended from the Arsacids. According to Movses Khorenatsi, this descent was via one of the three sons of Phraates IV, also named Karen. The fact that Karen may also have been among the family names of the Arsacid dynasty may give credence to this theory.

The first verified reference to the Karenas was during the Arsacid era, specifically as one of the feudal houses affiliated with the Parthian court. In this they were similar to the House of Suren, the only other attested feudal house of the Parthian period. Following the conquest of the Parthians, the Karenas allied themselves with the Sassanids, at whose court they were identified as one of the so-called "Parthian clans". The Armenian Kamsarakan family was a branch of the House of Karen."

-taken from Wikipedia

[tired-reader-writer]

ArSen 137 is out on xbato!

[jollmaster]

Could you elaborate on Asmodeous and Raphael? You mentioned a conflict earlier, I’m not a very religious person so it might be well known that they’re at odds but I’d still like to see how their relationship is? Thank you

hi! the conflict between Asmodeus and Raphael in my rewrite is based on a story from the book of Tobit ✌

Raphael accompanied Tobit's son, Tobias, on his journey to another city to recover money from relative (of course, Raphael did not say he was an angel, but he was in mortal human disguise and introduced himself as a distant relative); during their journey with some adventures Tobias married Sarah from Ecbatana, a young woman to whom Asmodeus had some perverse affection and killed seven of her previous husbands right on their marriage bed

thanks to Raphael's advice Tobias drove away Asmodeus who came again (he burned in the room fish liver and fish heart), and Raphael, in turn, chased Asmodeus all the way to Egypt where beat the crap out of him

anyway, Asmodeus didn't bother Sarah anymore and he still avoids Raphael lol

[importantdestinydefender]

Thanks to @tired-reader-writer, my own AU brain went a little off the rails.

So I recently made (hopefully) every character for my AU at least with names and age. (This will definitly not come back to bite me in the ass, nooooo)

Thus Masud, Mehrins father, was created! *confetti*

And with the recent Saam centric chapter (the reaction will come some day, I promsie) I had the Feels™ hit me like a brick

So Masud talks with Saam in private after he is done talking with Hilmes about Zabul that Masud wants to join the mission.

And he manages to get out of Saam that Saam wants to die

Which obviously upsats Masud since he would lose his only other child (through marrige) and only still living family member

And the two talk about some sappy stuff (Mehrin, Saams dead daughter and so on and so forth) and they leave it at that

Saam remembers his daughters birthday and that he counted how old she would be now and what their life could have been like

So le misison happens and Azar and Saam meet and Azar confronts Saam about being his daughter which he vehemantly denies, revealing that his family is dead

Saam speaks to Masud about what happened after Azar left and they are privatly in Zabul Fortress (He much rather would have his wife here for an opinion but well... Okay now I made myself sad...)

Masud is optimistic but Saam has his doubts (understandibly)

stuff happens, story progresses, Ecbatana after Hilmes take over

Saam is now deep into wanting to die and Masud is now desperate to get him to well, not do that

They have an even deeper talk about how they have dealt with the grief of loosing Mehrin over the years (Saam very poorly, Masud only sort of okay due to his own wife, Liah (who has also died a few years after the whole shitshow))

Farzin comes, tells Saam that he needs to stay alive, revealing selfishly that his daughter is still alive

Saam starts to waver regarding the absolute of his daughters death and Masud gets even more optimistic

Chabik tells him the same after Arslan vs Hilmes and Saam is now completely confused

And that is how far Masud goes (or at least how much I want to reveal lol). The Feels ™ just demanded my attention regarding Masud and Saams relationship.

[wheretheforgottenthingslive]

To Rival A King: The Heir and the Heretic

Ecbatana – 330 BCE

Her father’s body arrived wrapped in a bloodstained standard.

General Nikandros, veteran of Chaeronea, hero of Macedon, and Thaleia’s father, had died far from the eyes of his king or daughter—ambushed in a mountain pass while leading a supply caravan westward.

The report was clean. The grief, less so.

Alexander received the message first and kept it to himself for an hour before sending for her. She entered his tent unarmored, her tunic still damp from a morning ride. She took one look at his face and knew.

“Which pass?” she asked, flat.

“Sangaros,” he said. “They left nothing behind.”

She didn’t sit. Didn’t weep. Only nodded.

“Did he die well?”

Alexander hesitated. “He died Macedonian.”

Thaleia scoffed quietly. “Which means alone, ignored, and unburied.”

Alexander stepped toward her. “He was honored. I will ensure—”

“I don’t want your assurances,” she cut in, voice low and sharp. “He was loyal. He fought for you. He never asked for glory. And now you’ll name a street after him and pretend it’s enough.”

“It’s more than most men get.”

“I am not most men’s daughter.”

Silence stretched. She turned, but before she could leave, he said it.

“I want to give you a satrapy.”

She stopped mid-step.

“You what?”

“A province. Your father’s rank, transferred to you. In your name. You command it. Rule it. As a queen, if you wish.”

She turned slowly, incredulous. “You’re offering me a crown.”

“Yes.”

“Because my father died?”

“Because you’ve earned it.”

“No.” Her voice sharpened. “Because you think it will tame me.”

Alexander said nothing.

She stepped closer. “You want me caged in marble halls and silk drapes, issuing orders over scrolls instead of steel.”

“I want you safe,” he said. “I want to know I won’t turn around one day to find your body in the dirt like his.”

Her face changed then—not anger, not pride. Something more dangerous.

Pity.

“You don’t get to protect me, Alexander. Not from war. Not from death. And especially not from yourself.”

“I love you,” he said.

She froze.

He had never said it before. Not in campfire whispers, not in battlefield silences, not even after they’d shared heat, blood, breath.

“I love you,” he said again. “And I am offering you power, not chains.”

She came close, her voice a blade at his throat.

“Then why does it feel like surrender?”

He reached for her hand, but she stepped back.

“I am not Roxana,” she whispered. “I will not sit beside your throne to prove you are generous.”

“And I am not offering you that.”

“Then what?”

He looked at her, hollow with wanting.

“A future.”

She nodded once.

Then walked away.

---

She did not accept the satrapy. She returned to the front.

When word came that she'd personally executed the Persian noble responsible for her father’s death, Alexander sent no letter.

He only closed his eyes and whispered her name like a prayer. Or a curse.

[importantdestinydefender]

Wooooo! My monthly does of motivation!

New chapter tomorrow!

[daryun]

The Sorcerer: got some straight gas 🔥😛 this strain is called “rightful king” 😳💊 you’ll be zonked out of your gourd 💯

Hilmes: yeah whatever. i don’t feel shit.

5 minutes later: dude we gotta retake Ecbatana

His astute follower Sahm, pacing: Husrab is lying to us