Ecbatana
Hagmatana | |
Archeological site of Ecbatana in 2017 | |
Ecbatana Shown within Iran Ecbatana Ecbatana (Near East) | |
| Location | Hamedan, Hamadan Province, Iran |
|---|---|
| Region | Zagros Mountains |
| Coordinates | 34°48′23″N 48°30′58″E / 34.80639°N 48.51611°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Builder | Deioces |
| Founded | 11th century BC |
| Abandoned | 1220 |
| Periods | |
| Cultures | Persian |
| Events | Battle of Ecbatana |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | In ruins |
| Management | Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Iran |
| Public access | Open |
| Criteria | ii, iii |
| Reference | 1716 |
| Inscription | 2024 (46th Session) |
| Area | 75 ha (0.29 sq mi) |
| Buffer zone | 287 ha (1.11 sq mi) |
Ecbatana (/ɛkˈbætənə/) was an ancient city, the capital of the Median kingdom, and the first capital in Iranian history. It later became the summer capital of the Achaemenid and Parthian empires. It was also an important city during the Seleucid and Sasanian empires. Ecbatana was located in the Zagros Mountains, the east of central Mesopotamia, on Hagmatana Hill (Tappe-ye Hagmatāna). Its strategic location and resources probably made it a popular site even before the 1st millennium BC. It is identified with the current city of Hamadan.