Historical Geography of Ellipian Kingdom

During the first half of the 1st millennium B.C, the inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian Period from Ashur-nasirpal II (866) to Ashurbanipal (639 B.C.), had referred to Ellipian kingdom for ca.250 years. The first recorded of interaction between Assyria and Ellipi dates back to 866 BC, and certainly before which Ellipi was exist, because the royal Assyrian inscriptions mentioned only to such areas which they have political skirmish. Researchers of hundred years ago introduced the Ellipi kingdom as located in the east of neo- Assyrian empire reading of Assyrian inscriptions; they also briefly addressed in related research of the history and historical geography of western Iran and the Toponymy mentioned by the Assyrian texts. But, so far resorted to the inscriptions, except the general position of Ellipi in relation to other western Iran kingdoms, other aspects of Ellipian historical geography is still ambiguous; such as the exact scope of political institutions, economy and livelihood, religion and etc. of the given kingdom. As long as the lands of Ellipi accurately be rebuilt, the archeology of Ellipi including any stylistics of cultural material would be incomprehensible and impossible to prove. While about the contemporaneous neighbors such as Neo- Elamite, Mana and Media kingdoms there are good evidences. The resources available for historical geography of Ellipian kingdom is limited to historical texts and archaeological data; the historical data on one hand limited to Assyrian inscriptions, which often political sententious zoom describes their version of victories. On the other hand, no written documents from Babylonians and especially Elamite inscriptions have mentioned Ellipi while on the basis of some evidence there have been good relationship with Ellipi. But despite all problems listed above, studying historical geography of Ellipian kingdom, the balls and other neighbors, such as reviews material resources and political basins, others neighbors like Media and Elam, putting together all the evidence and information, can be obtain to have reliable reconstruction. Here, with the comprehensive utilization of historical sources and archaeological data in the light of the geographical features of the region, it is tried to have reliable reconstruction of historical geography of Ellipian kingdom based on new archaeological evidences and Assyrian texts. According to this study, Caspian people who lived in the Eastern Luristan by the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, have been able to establish the Ellipi kingdom. A great achievement for this people which even earlier of the Medes and Persians and contemporary with Manna were achieved. Kingdom of Ellipi include original range of Pish-kuh which from the north limited to the Grien mountains in Harhar, in the northeast to along the Grien and in the East to Oshtoran-kuh to Media, from the south in the basin Seymareh to Elam, in the West to Kabir-kuh and in the North-West to South Harsin to Bit-Hamban. Also kingdom of Ellipi consisted of several state government centers entitled “Royal Cities” and “Fortified Cities“. In addition, the special climate of the area provided an special nature of Ellipian kingdom. So, that most of the population of the territory have livelihoods on the basis of nomadic and livestock as well as the political elite of this state was habitant in very different places and smaller than other known centers neighbors, like Susa of Elamite and Hegmataneh of Media. One of these centers can be Baba Jan of level III which King of Ellipi where manage the kingdom.