Atropatene

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Atropatene was an ancient region in modern north western Iran, formerly a part of Media.

Atropatene was the name of Iranian Azerbaijan from the time of Alexander the Great until the Arab conquest of Iran, after which Arabs modified the name into Azerbaijan. It was called Atropatene or Media Atropatene after Atropates who made it independent soon after the death of Alexander the Great. Before that, it was called Matiene after the Matiani, an Iranic people who settled there. Before the Matiani came, it was called Mannae, and the people Mannaeans. From Persian times, the capital was Gazaca, south of Lake Matianus.